


Kiss of a maiden

by CinderellaStep



Category: Dragalia Lost (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:00:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 26,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24489370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CinderellaStep/pseuds/CinderellaStep
Summary: Elisanne finally gathers the courage to confess to Euden. Then things start going wrong for her.
Relationships: Elisanne/Euden (Dragalia Lost)
Kudos: 13





	Kiss of a maiden

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this is so long. In my initial idea, this was a pretty quick smut, then after two days of writing I already was in 14k words and still had things left to say. Please be patient with it.

The sunset painted the sky red as the Prince returned to the Halidom, surrounded by his friends. Many troops had already returned, but Prince Euden had been hurt in a skirmish, and his retinue lagged behind the troops, and a few battalions marched behind his group, to protect him.

The wounds weren't dangerous, and he had been partially healed by magic, but he still had been thrown on top of a horse and unceremoniously carried back to the castle. He was barely riding the horse, and had been tied to the mount. Euden rode hugging the horse head for balance.

Just a few meters before the bridge that led to the Halidom, Euden started talking.

"Elisanne! Cleo! Stop! Take me down from here!".

Ranzal made the horse stop and Cleo approached the Prince.

"Your Highness, you are hurt, you should not walk" said the Sylvan woman.

Euden said weakly "The Prince cannot be seen dragged into the Halidom. He has to walk in proudly full regalia. Otherwise, the people will lose faith in the fight. It's the Prince's Duty to inspire his people".

The troops behind were stopping, and murmurs were heard.

Euden started unbinding himself. Ranzal, knowing he wouldn't convince him otherwise, went to help him and to grab him in case he lost balance and fell from the horse. After undoing some knots, he grabbed the little Prince and put him on the ground.

Euden was not big by any means, and next to Ranzal he looked tiny. Even then, he was the size of a kid, and, at 19 years, he wouldn't grow anymore. Of the original group that started the Halidom, he only towered over Cleo. 

This little kid was now demanding he be suited in his armor and cape, so he could look more regal.

Elisanne was admonishing him.

"Your Highness. Euden. You barely can stand. You won't be able to carry armor on top of you. Be reasonable. It will be even more dispiriting for the people if they see their leader collapse under his armor".

The words of the paladyn gave pause to the Prince.

Cleo went to the bags the horse carried. She pulled out a jacket.

"Here, your subjects are more used to see you in this jacket. It's what you normally wear. We'll wrap the cape around it and it will hopefully not crush Euden under its weight" said the sylvan woman.

Euden seemed content with the arrangement. Ranzal helped dress Euden. Cleo went to him and put her staff over his head, and applied more of her healing magic. Euden started smiling.

"I feel great! put the full armor on me!".

"Don't be silly, your Highness. This will fade out quickly. We will be lucky if you cross the bridge like this. I will reapply it midway".

Euden started walking but his steps seemed wobbly. 

Cleo pointed at him "Elisanne! Grab him by the arm and walk him there!". Elisanne went and did so, grabbing his left arm with her right and intertwining her fingers with him.

Ranzal came close to Cleo and asked in whispers "Uh, why Elly? Are you playing matchmaker?".

Cleo answered "Elisanne is almost his same size, just half a head taller. I am a lot shorter and you and Luca are much taller. As for matchmaking, ha! Elly would never do anything, you know how much of a coward she is on this".

Neither Euden nor Elisanne heard this. 

Elisanne was just starting to notice what this looked like, but she didn't want to change how she was grabbing Euden, for fear the Prince would fall in the process. This posture had the benefit of looking dignified, and giving a lot of support and balance to Euden, but it also looked like they were an old couple. If Mym were there, she'd be furious, but the flamewyrm was helping guard the back of the army.

Elisanne's face was red now. And Euden walked very slowly. After a while, they were in the middle of the bridge, and Euden stopped and spoke.

"Cleo was right. I am too weak. Maybe I can enter the castle riding the horse in these clothes? Elly? are you sick? you look very red".

Elisanne was caught flat footed "Eh, my prince, your Highness...I was thinking... this is all my fault. You jumped in front of me to take a hit I wasn't prepared for".

"Madness. I would do the same for all of you. And you would do the same for any of us. Today it was my turn, but how many hits have you taken for me?" Euden signaled Ranzal for the horse.

"None, your Highness. It's always you taking blows for me. I am very sure I've never returned the favor, even when your safety is my direct and main responsibility" said Elisanne.

"Nonsense. You never take hits for me because you stop them with your lance way before they can hit me. But when I see something is going to hit you, I cannot react as fast as you can and I have to put myself in front of you at best".

Ranzal arrived with the horse, grabbed Euden and put him on top of it. Cleo went and applied some healing with her staff. Ranzal tied Euden's legs discretely to the mount. Ranzal then gave a slap to Euden's horse's ass. The horse started a slow trot. This way they entered the citadel. Euden's followers greeted and cheered for Euden as he made his way to the castle. Elisanne thought that maybe it was all for nothing. Even if most of the Halidom inhabitants missed the theatrics on the bridge, the soldiers that accompanied him to battle would mention that Euden had been hurt. But then again he had been seen riding into the citadel, smiling and saluting all the time.

Until he went inside the castle (still on the horse, which raised a couple of brows, but not too many, cause they knew the Prince was not someone who respected etiquette) and Ranzal untied him once more, and grabbed him and took him into his room, climbed a set of stairs, took away most of his clothes and left him on his bed on nothing but his underwear and shirt. Then, without a word, left the room and signaled Cleo.

Cleo went inside his room and started applying healing magic to Euden. It was the slower, more potent variety, the one that truly heals the flesh, but that cannot be used in the battlefield due to its low speed. Although the door was open, Jurota arrived and stood outside of it. Jurota wouldn't let the many silly inhabitants of the Halidom to go in to interrupt the process, as was their custom whenever they wanted to have a party for whatever reason.

\------

Elisanne looked at Euden one last time and left for her room. As hers was one of the first rooms assigned in the Halidom, it was close to Euden's. Her room was big and spacious, and even had some amenities most of the others didn't, like her own bathtub. Only the Prince and Cleo's room were bigger and more luxurious. Unlike Cleo, who sleept alone, she shared it with Alex, although from time to time Cleo would not want to be alone and would come to the room. If Alex was in, which was not common as she was often deployed on spy missions, Elisanne and Alex would share a bed and Cleo would use Elisanne's bed.

Alex was not in. She had left for Dyrenell territory before the battle and had not returned yet. She had carried one of Aoi's birds to send a message, so she could check her status with Jurota, who always took care of the birds, later.

Elisanne prepared the fire under the bathtub and discarded the clothes once the water had just barely started warming up. She was used to cold water anyway. She cleaned herself quickly and didn't stay for long. A few minutes later she got out and started drying herself. Then she decided which clothes to wear. She went to a drawer and took out the dress a villager had gifted her so long ago. Euden had always wanted to see her in that dress but she would normally pretend she wasn't listening whenever he asked. It was a long red dress with lots of frills. If it covered her knees, it bared a lot more of her bosom than she was used to (which was the real reason she never wanted to wear it). The dress fit her perfectly, although in secret she had Louise adjust the arms for her muscles, as Elisanne had a lot more muscle mass than the average villager. Louise was very skilled with a needle and didn't even need more fabric.

Elisanne wasn't happy with the cleavage. She took it off, grabbed a white, very light shirt, put it on, and then put the dress on again. This looked a little weird but it was more prudish. She liked to think she wasn't a prude, but she was very conscious about cleavage. She didn't like to show much. 

She put on her typical Paladyn gauntlets and boots, then she donned a small sable on a belt. She preferred to be always ready for a battle even if it looked a little silly. She left her tiny conical helmet and put a flower on the lasso tying her hair. 

She then went to a one of her cabinets and picked up a bottle. She was not one to drink much, but she shared some with Cleo and Alex when the three had a sleepover. But today she wanted a small glass of whiskey, to help her face what she had to do. She served herself a small glass and drank it at once. 

She made her way back to Euden's room. Jurota was still there. 

"Jurota, have you heard of Alex?" Elisanne whispered.

"Miss Elisanne. I have. Snow, uh, the pigeon she had, came back today and I just finished decoding the message. Alex says she found something and is coming back by way of Chanzelia. She should be here in a week".

"Chanzelia is a dangerous place for us right now!" replied Elisanne, suddenly worried.

"Miss Elisanne, worry not. She will only stay in the outskirts of that city, if at all. I am ashamed to say this, but she is a much more sneaky spy than I am, and I have had no trouble taking the route she is taking. We know a bunch of places that don't ask many questions to stay the night if necessary. And anyway, she is scheduled to send word in a couple of days by pigeons local to Chanzelia. If word does not arrive by friday night, we'll send a search party to Chanzelia. You can come with us". 

Jurota's words calmed her somewhat. Still, the thought of Alex would linger on her mind for the next two days. 

Inside, Cleo was finishing. Euden pointed at some clothes and Cleo brought them. It was Euden's pajamas. Cleo came out of the door and closed it behind her. She spoke to Jurota.

"The Prince is not to be visited until tomorrow, and if he tries to get out you should stop him or come to me. Worst case, yell, my room is not too far away. And put someone under his window cause Ilia knows the kid is crazy and has left through the window before".

"Yes, Miss Cleo!" answered Jurota as he saluted. Elisanne gave a disappointed look at Jurota. Chain of command was a disaster at the Halidom, but the forces were, very roughly speaking, divided in two. The regular troops, which were in charge of Ranzal, and the spies and people responsible for Euden's safety, which were in charge of Elisanne. Jurota was not supposed to salute Cleo, but Cleo managed the food of the Halidom, and disrespecting her could mean your food would be gruel for a week or more. 

Cleo had finished speaking and now was looking at Elisanne. Her gaze went down to her dress and then back to her eyes and she looked at Elisanne for a while in silence, while slowly raising her brows. Cleo's mouth was pouting, which was a scary face for the sylvan woman.

"So today, Elly? of all the days in the year you decided to do this today?" finally whispered Cleo.

"I have to ask forgiveness to Prince Euden for letting him get hurt". Elisanne knew she might encounter Cleo and had her answer ready.

Cleo just walked away, and as she did, she spoke "do not bother him too long, woman! The Prince needs rest!".

Jurota still stood in front of the door. When Elisanne felt Cleo had walked away enough, she said to the ninja.

"Jurota, let me in. You don't need to tell Cleo". Jurota doubted for a moment, then took a step to the side. 

Elisanne went to knock on the door, then thought again and turned to Jurota. She looked at him for a second and threatened "And later we will speak of the chain of command in our unit. You answer to the Prince and to me, in that order. Not to Cleo. This is the last exception". She managed to not point with her finger as she said this. She knew using no gestures was more imposing. It was a silly threat, but it made her feel better about herself.

Jurota just said "Yes, Miss Elisanne!". 

"Now go put someone under Euden's window" finished Elisanne.

"Aoi is already there, Miss Elisanne!" answered Jurota.

"Ok, then instead of standing in front of the door, go stand on the wall on the hallway. Take guard from there". Elisanne pointed across the hallway.

"Yes Miss Elisanne!" replied Jurota.

Elisanne just ignored him and knocked on the door. Euden voice sounded normal from inside and said "come in". Elisanne opened the door and entered. Jurota stood guard across the hall as she closed the door behind her.

The threat on Jurota was empty. Jurota didn't really report to her, but directly to the Prince. They sometimes coordinated guards on Euden, but in reality she only had seniority on Jurota, and not much else. Her job was to keep Euden's alive. A job at which she was very bad at, mainly cause Euden never doubted to put himself in the line of fire for any of his friends. 

Besides, as master spy, Jurota's job was to pay attention to all the rumors in the castle, and doubtless her love for Euden had long since arrived to his ears. 

Elisanne put that thought away. She looked at the room. Notte was sleeping on her tiny bed on top of Euden's night table. That made things easier. The window was open. She was sure if she looked out of it, she would not see Aoi, as the ninja was very good at hiding. It was true that the Prince had once tied a lot of sheets and went down the three floors to escape when he knew Cleo was outside his door. 

She greeted Euden, who was sitting in his pajamas on a small sofa near his bed. He was peeling an apple with a small knife, but he put both away once he saw Elisanne.

"Your Highness. Prince. Euden".

"Hey Elly. No need to be so formal here. Just call me Euden. Hey! is that the dress that villager gave you? What, has it been a year since you got it? You look beautiful in it".

Elisanne smiled and could feel her cheeks going red. But she replied: "Thanks your Highness. But I did not come here for false praise. I came to ask forgiveness for not having protected you today". Elisanne bowed in front of Euden.

"Elly, you know how it is. If I see any of my friends in danger, I will jump in front of them. I cannot stop myself. I'd die before seeing you hurt. It is the Prince's duty to protect his retainers. Come here, take a seat". Euden signaled the space in the sofa, and Elisanne took seat next to him. She positioned herself to be looking at Euden while still sitting up straight.

"My Prince..." said Elisanne, who could not avoid the much more tender appelative. "please stop talking like that. My life is only devoted to protecting yours. If you die saving me, I will immediately die of shame". Elisanne took one of Euden's hand in hers as she spoke, and she looked intently to his eyes.

Euden laughed.

"Elisanne, I am going to invoke the chain of command too. Yeah, I could hear a little of the admonishment you gave Jurota. And I am going to order you to stop talking of the subject. This is a direct order. We've spoke of the issue many times, and the decision is clear. I will protect you with my life, you will protect me with yours, end of story".

Elisanne was glad she had made Jurota stand away from the door. She knew the doors didn't weren't completely soundproof from the outside, and she had yelled at Jurota that part, so from where he stood now Jurota would not be able to hear.

Elisanne let go of the Prince's hand.

Euden said "Let's change the subject. I am a little weak, so could you grab me a water of water from the table? Help yourself to a glass too if you want".

Elisanne stood up and served a glass of water and handed it to Euden, then she sat back.

"I already had something" explained Elisanne.

As she didn't drink a lot, she wasn't used to whiskey. She started feeling the effects. She felt a lot more bold now.

"So, the dress fits you perfectly, Elly! It's wonderful!".

Elisanne smiled "you are too kind, my Prince Euden. If I am honest, I had Louise fit it to me, as I have more muscles than that village girl that gave it to us". 

Silence fell. Elisanne's plan was to guide the conversation from her failure as a protector, but that path was cut and left her with nothing to say. She decided to go directly to the throat.

"My Prince, I have also come to speak to you of a problem I have. A problem that may have distracted me in my duties and caused all this".

Euden's eyes light up and he spoke "Elly, I will help you in any way I can. I will do anything for you".

Elisanne gave him a sad smile "My Prince, you speak too soon, of things that may not be in your power".

Euden looked worried "What's the problem, Elly".

Elisanne looked at Euden with eyes that started to swell up in tears "I do not know if you can do anything to help me. I only want you to listen to me. I need to take this load off my chest, my Prince...". Elisanne then grabbed Euden hands in hers. "Euden...my problem is that...I am in love with you, and I have been in love with you for the whole time we've known each other".

Elisanne then stood up and hovered over Euden, and pulled his face over hers and kissed him. She pressed her lips against his for what seemed like minutes, not daring to open her mouth yet. Euden was caught by surprise. He received the kiss but had her eyes open the whole time.

Elisanne let go and sit back, grabbing Euden's hands again.

Euden quickly remembered every time he had teased Elisanne, when he had dragged her to the town for shopping in her Halloween costume, the words he said when she was dressed as a bride. All the times Ranzal or Luca had teased Elisanne in front of him. 

He understood he had been very naive.

How many times had he hurt Elisanne's feelings? Probably too many to count. Then he stopped himself from asking forgiveness, for he realized how it was going to sound.

Elisanne was watching the Prince's face all this time. Around half a minute must have gone by, with her looking intently, grabbing him by the hands, and Euden just staring into the horizon.

Euden choose carefully his words. He had to let his best friend down, and he wanted to do it with the minimal damage possible.

"Elisanne, Elly. I ... am very honored. No woman, and certainly not a woman as wonderful as you, had ever said that to me".

Elisanne started to realize that a corresponding answer of love may not be forthcoming.

"Elly, I need to explain something to you. I want you to listen to me".

Elisanne stood up and started laughing "Hahaha got you, Euden! Luca will never pull off a prank like this! I am the queen of pranks! I must go now!" She circled behind the sofa and made her way to the door, but Euden, weak as he was, managed to grab the frills of her dress, and she felt the pull as she walked away.

"Elisanne, please come here, sit down"

Elisanne did not dare to face him and just spoke while looking away

"Euden...your Highness. I am just a silly girl who has read too many romance novels for her own good. I will just switch to some other genre of novels, and we won't speak of this ever again. Everything is fine between us. I understand if...I understand if you don't reciprocate me. Nothing needs to change. I expected this. I came prepared for this. Don't make this harder on me".

"Elly, come here. You deserve an answer. I owe you. But I cannot move much like this, so please don't run away".

Elisanne circled back and sat down. But she still did not dare to look at Euden. She just sat looking at her hands in her lap.

"Elisanne, I need to explain something. Please listen to me, it will take a few minutes"

Euden kept speaking. Elisanne just answered laconically, always looking down "As you order, your Highness".

"Elisanne. It's been almost a year and a half since Zethia was captured, since we know each other. But before that, I was a very different person"

"Elisanne. Before my father sent me in search of a dragon shard, I lived the lazy life of nobility. As the seventh in line of succession, not much was expected of me. I spent my days between sword classes with Leif, my private tutors and playing with Notte and Zethia. But there was one use my father, my kingdom had for me, even if I was a completely useless prince. Elisanne, I was a stupid kid. You wouldn't have fallen in love with me then. I do not lie when I say I was useless".

Elisanne remembered Notte and looked in her direction. Her little bed was empty. How much had the fairy listened? Had she seen the kiss? Maybe she had left before she said anything, if Ilia was merciful.

Euden continued.

"As a lowly prince, seventh in line of succession, I was an easy pawn to marry off to some far away kingdom, to forge a new alliance, or strengthen existing ones".

Some hope came to Elisanne. Maybe he could not reciprocate by law. She raised her face and looked at Euden.

"Your Highness, are you engaged already?"

"Oh. No, no. That's not what I am trying to say"

Elisanne went back to looking at her hands.

"The way Alberian nobility worked is, each prince or princess was free to choose their partner, but only from a selected pool of potential mates, exclusively of the high nobility, and in exceptional conditions, from some servant in a high station. For example, it would not have been unexpected for Chelle to marry, say, Leif, although she had a lot of suitors from other kingdoms. My father married my mother because they loved each other, even if they had a small pool of people from where to choose".

"But what I am getting at, is that since I was 14 I had to dedicate some time to meeting princesses, and courting them. It's something I did a few times, try to flirt with them, being flirted at, I am no stranger to it".

Elisanne thought of something. Something even more shameful. But she had to ask. So she spoke without looking at Euden.

"Your Highness. Was that kiss...your first kiss?".

"Oh. Elly, no, I have to say I've kissed before. It was your first?".

Elisanne quietly nodded yes.

"Elly, it was a beautiful kiss. I will remember it forever. I will treasure that memory until my last day".

Elisanne smiled while looking down "I will too, your Highness".

Euden continued: "I kissed a couple of princesses, I fell in love a couple of times. I know what it is like to have your heart broken". Euden refrained from mentioning that both Mym and Philia had forced themselves on him a couple of times; Mym was just as chaste a kisser as Elisanne, while Philia had dared to push her tongue into his mouth. Both girls had been reprimanded for the excess and none of them had reacted like Elly. They just laughed it off and went on their way.

Elisanne answered "Which is why you are trying to let me down as gently as possible. I understand. I am ok now, can I go?".

"Elisanne, please give me a couple of minutes more".

Elisanne nodded. Euden said "But then my father sent me in search of a dragon shard, and then all those events unfolded that ended with Zethia being taken away...and a part of me died the day Zethia left my side".

"I have not been able to look at women like that in all this time. My mind only has space to worry for Zethia. I distract myself with the countless celebrations we hold here, or battles or plans, or combat training, but if I ever stop, I see Zethia walking away from me, forever".

"Before that, if someone like Mym, or Philia came to me professing eternal love, I would not have pushed them away. I would have flirted back and see where it took us. It happened some times! Some girls of the Alberian nobility are just as forward as Philia".

"But right now, Elisanne, I am not capable of falling in love, of noticing when a girl is blushing in front of me, of wondering why her friends tease her in front of me. It's a part of my mind that won't work until we rescue Zethia, and maybe not even then".

"I don't want to give you false hope Elisanne, but maybe when we rescue Zethia, or if I finally have to see her dead, maybe I will close this episode of my life and I will go back to being normal, to being capable of falling in love again. But I cannot promise anything. Don't wait for me, Elisanne. You are too wonderful to pine for a stupid kid who does not know how to love you back. You deserve much, much better".

Elisanne felt it was too much. This time she was going to leave. But the story left a hole in it, and she needed to know. How much more could it hurt?

Elisanne stood up. She faced away from Euden. "Euden, I am leaving for my room. Don't stop me now. But there is a detail. We met when you rescued me from Alex. But then two weeks passed while we travelled to the Halidom and before the possessed King Aurelius took Zethia. In that time, did you ever look at me as a woman?"

Elisanne made her way across the room. This time, Euden did not try to stop her.

What would be the best thing to say? thought Euden. The truth? He had always been proud of leading with the truth, but maybe here it could be damaging.

Still.

"Elly. When I rescued you from Alex, and when I saw you fight back then, I thought that you were a real woman, unlike the silly girls that we called princesses that I had met back in the kingdom. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen".

Elisanne stopped by the door hearing this. She hesitated for a moment. 

"I will always love you, Euden. But let's not speak of today ever again".

She didn't wait for an answer. She opened the door, ignored Jurota, and left for her room.

She walked quickly, and got to her room. Tears were falling from her eyes. She covered her face as she entered her room. She grabbed the bottle of whiskey and went to bed without taking off her dress.

\------

In the kitchen, Cleo was giving orders to Melody and Vice and the other people who normally helped her cook. She was too tired to prepare dinner, so most of the heavy work was borne by Vice. 

Then Notte entered through a door that was not completely closed.

"Cleo! Cleo! you won't believe what happened! Cleo!"

Cleo, who was expecting something like this, quickly grabbed the fairy and covered her mouth with a strawberry. Without explanations to her people, she left the kitchen while silencing Notte.

"Notte, do not speak until we are somewhere private". 

She wanted to go to her room, but it was in the way to Elisanne's room. She looked for a random closet and entered. Took her wand from her pocket and summoned a magic light.

"I hope this is safe from that darned Jurota, who seems to have ears everywhere. Now, I am going to remove my hand, and you will speak in a very low volume, understood? Whispers only".

Still with her hand pressing a strawberry against the fairy's mouth, Cleo looked intently at Notte, and Notte nodded.

Cleo took her finger away.

"CLEO! YOU WON'T BELIE". Cleo put her finger back.

"What is wrong with you? Do you want to eat only uncooked potatoes for the rest of your life in the Halidom?"

Notte opened her eyes surprised and nodded negatively.

"Ok, then you will whisper like I am doing right now".

Notte nodded affirmatively and Cleo took her finger away. 

Notte finally spoke softly: "I went to sleep once you started healing Euden, but then I started hearing conversation. I woke up, and when I looked up, I saw Elisanne kissing Euden!". Notte started getting excited again. "Can you believe it? She finally confessed to him and now they are kissing!".

Cleo put back her finger on Notte's mouth. 

"Notte, you are losing control again. Whispers only. Now, answer me these questions. Did you leave immediately or did you see anything else?"

Cleo retired the finger. Notte spoke: "I was so excited I left immediately, but the kiss was so long, Cleo, it must have been a minute from the moment I realized what was happening to when I left!".

Cleo just put her finger in front of her own mouth to signal silence. Notte, thankfully understood and remained silent.

"Now, have you mentioned this to anyone else?"

Notte just said "No, Cleo".

"Notte, I have to warn you. What you saw was very private and exclusive to Euden and Elisanne. Now, it is not your fault because you sleep in the same room, but I want you to keep the secret. If Elisanne and Euden announce it, you can speak, but as long as they keep the secret, you have to keep it too. Understood? If I discover that you ever tell this to anyone without Euden AND Elisanne telling you to, I will feed you nothing but gruel for the rest of your life".

Notte got scared "but Cleo".

"No, no buts. This is a secret you may have take to your tomb. Now, I need to know if Elisanne was rejected. We are going outside the castle, and you will fly to the window of Elisanne's room and check if she is there. Make sure you are not seen".

"Cleo, it's wrong to look inside the windows of people's room. Zethia taught me this".

Cleo answered "Yes, it's wrong. But we will make an exception for once because you have no way of going back to Euden's room except for his window, and if Elisanne is still there I don't want you to go there".

Without saying anything else, Cleo and Notte left for the outside of the castle and walked around to where Elisanne's room was. Notte flew to the window, which was open, and entered. There was no one inside, but just in that moment, Elisanne opened the door. Elisanne was covering her face, but Notte could still clearly see and hear that she was crying. Notte left the window and flew down to Cleo.

"Cleo!" whispered Notte. "Elisanne is crying!".

Cleo grabbed once more the fairy, and took her back to the closet. Notte did not need to have her mouth covered to keep silence.

Once inside the closet, Cleo light her wand once more. Then she started whispering.

"Notte, you see why you cannot speak of this? You may hurt Elisanne even more. Now, both you and Elly are my friends, but if you hurt Elisanne with your big mouth, I will be very angry with you".

"Will you stop being my friend?" Notte said very distraught.

Cleo sighed. "No, Notte. But we are going to be very angry with each other for a good reason. You need to keep this a secret from both Euden and Elisanne".

Notte answered "But Cleo, I keep no secrets from Euden. He and I speak of everything".

"Notte, that is ok, but don't bring it up with Euden if he doesn't bring it up first. And in that case remind him of not speaking about it with anyone else!"

Notte said "Ok Cleo".

"One more thing, Notte. You may want to remove your bed from Euden's room. Or at least move it where you can give him, and the silly girls that inhabit this castle, some privacy from time to time. You don't want to have to watch this again. Just...don't do it today or tomorrow, because then Euden will realize something is up".

Notte just said "I will figure it out, Cleo".

Cleo turned off her wand, and they both walked out. Notte flew back to Euden's room through the window. She entered and saw that Euden was in bed. His breathing didn't indicate sleeping, but she said nothing and just went to bed, and started to think of a new place to put her bed.

Cleo still had one more person to threaten.

She made her way back to the outside of Euden's room. She saw Jurota was guarding the door from far away. She went to him and asked him.

"Jurota, say, have you seen anything unusual since I left?".

"Miss Cleo, I am not authorized to reveal this to you. I am sorry. I only answer to Prince Euden and Miss Elisanne".

Good boy. But she needed to be sure.

"Jurota, that's a very wise thing to say. But I want to be crystal clear. If I ever hear a hint of a rumor that something happened between the moment I left from healing Euden, and me coming back now, you and your silly ninjas will only ever eat raw carrots for the rest of your life. And I will cut off the bird seed for your silly birds from the food budget, are we clear on this?".

Jurota thought very hard about the answer he was going to give.

"Miss Cleo. I can only report that nothing happened here, and no one has passed through this hallway since you left".

Good boy. That left one last loose end.

"Jurota, this also goes for any ninja that you may have here working for you".

"Miss Cleo. Aoi left for below Euden's window the moment you mentioned it, and never saw or heard anything else. The rest of my people are not here".

Cleo said no more and went back to the kitchen, a little more at ease.

\------

Elisanne cried and drank all night. She missed dinner. Then she fell asleep, drunk, and missed breakfast.

When Cleo didn't see Elisanne showing up for breakfast, she started a rumor saying that Elisanne had been hurt and was recovering from a wound. People were discussing whether Euden had been hurt too, but Euden had made his way to the hall during breakfast, and ate with everyone, very quiet, in a corner of a table. She had Vice sit next to him and made him keep people from talking to Euden by taking over the conversation.

There was one new rumor, though. Some people were commenting that Jurota had been seen walking away from Malora's room last night. Cleo did the math and concluded that Jurota himself had somehow started this rumor, at the price of his own reputation. Cleo never was clear on what his relationship with Aoi was like. Was he sacrificing some future romance for the sake of his birds' seed?

Malora herself did not deny nor confirm the rumor. She just laughed. Cleo knew she enjoyed that mystery. Malora would probably square things out with Jurota one way or the other.

Once Euden had breakfast, she very discreetly sent him back to his room to rest some more. She also sent Vice to ask Xainfried to take over Elisanne's practice sessions with the troops for the day. If Elisanne showed up for the lessons, no damage done.

Near noon, Cleo had Notte check on Elisanne's window once more. Notte saw that Elisanne was sleeping still. Cleo decided that she would have to cut the farce later. Elly needed to eat and to stop being miserable and participate in society again. Cleo started to think how to bring up that Elisanne needed to leave her room, and decided to keep with the lie that Elisanne was hurt. If Elly didn't show up for dinner, Cleo would go to her room and ask her if she was hiding some battle wound from her. It had happened with other stupidly proud people before. It was believable.

Cleo sighed and thought to herself "Cleo, you keep this ship afloat all by yourself". Then she realized that Jurota had also helped. Maybe she needed to say sorry to the poor ninja.

\-----

After noon, Elisanne woke up. Her head hurt a lot. She got up and drank a lot of water. While alcohol was not forbidden for the Paladyns, drunkenness was. Paladyns were supposed to be moderate. This was shameful. She had never gotten drunk before. And never would again.

She went back to bed. While she was hungry, she did not want to go out of her room. Thankfully Alex was not home, so she didn't have to explain herself to anyone. She had missed breakfast and her combat training in the morning, but nobody was knocking on her door, so the world had survived without her. She had also missed lunch. She would sneak out before dinner and grab some food, but by now the apples left in her room would have to make do.

Then she went back to the things Euden had said the day before. Was there any loophole, any exception where she could force him to fall in love with her? Love did not work like that, but Elisanne could just not stop thinking.

For starters, if she had met Euden when he was a "auseless prince" as he had described himself...would they have fallen in love?

She was almost four years older than Euden, so at that point he would have been 14 and she 17, 18 for a couple of months. There was no way she would have ever put her eyes on a 14 year old kid.

But towards the end of that? After all, she fell in love with him almost immediately. When he was 17 and she 20. She still had not felt comfortable sharing his feelings with Euden due to their age. But once he became 19, she started feeling the difference was not that big.

And even if the other had never kidnapped Zethia, how would they meet?

The answer was easy. Zethia, the Auspex, was Euden's sister. As a Paladyn, she would sooner or later meet her, and it seemed the siblings were inseparable. At that point, would she have ever put her eyes on the useless Auspex's brother? A lot of her love for Euden came from his maturity and zeal in recovering Zethia. An Euden without adversity to forge him, would probably not be able to attract Elisanne. Even if they had met during his first trip to the Halidom, if Euden had gone back to Alberia with the dragon shard, that would have been the end of their story together.

And even if they had fallen in love? Would their romance be allowed?

She was now the Grand Paladyn. This probably was a high station enough to marry into nobility. But it did not escape Elisanne that a big reason for her getting the nomination of Grand Paladyn had been the conflict between Euden and his sister. No conflict, and someone else would have been Grand Paladyn. Someone older. Maybe Tobias, but no younger than that.

No. In no other life would they ever fall in love. Or in this one, for that matter.

It was impossible.

Wait. Had her nomination as Grand Paladyn a play by the church to have her marry Euden? Just how many people were laughing at a lovesick Paladyn? 

Enough of stupid thoughts.

She estimated that it was still a couple of hours before dinner, so she decided to sneak out to the kitchen and go grab some food. She dressed in her usual blue battle uniform. Sooner or later life would have to go back to normal. She would have to face Euden again. Better to start now before people started asking too many questions.

Luckily her room was very close to the staircase that led to the kitchen. So she didn't meet with anyone in the way. But Cleo and her people were surely going to be there. Maybe Ranzal and Luca trying to grab some food. Maybe even Euden.

She entered the kitchen. Cleo was alone, next to a big pile of peeled potatoes. 

"Elisanne! are you wounded? Where have you been?" Cleo exclaimed when she saw her.

Elisanne, who realized very much that Cleo kept tabs on all the people in the Halidom, realized Cleo was lying for her sake. They had talked the night before. It was impossible she didn't know something was up. But she decided to cooperate. Very unpaladynlike.

Even if Cleo and Elisanne were alone in the kitchen, Cleo let Elisanne keep her dignity by not forcing the truth out of her. 

"I must have been hit very hard in battle but didn't realize it. It didn't start hurting until I fell in bed. You know how it is. The swelling came down this morning but I haven't been able to move until now".

"Xainfried took over your combat lessons this morning. Have you eaten anything? Let me grab you some leftovers" Cleo said. She pulled over a chair and sat Elisanne in the service table.

Cleo put a pot on the fire. Some chicken had been leftover on it from the lunch. She grabbed a tomato and started peeling it and dicing it. Then put it on a plate. She waited a few minutes, then put a couple of chicken legs on it and put it in front of Elisanne. Then also put some bread and a chunk of cheese in front of her.

"Is that enough for you. Maybe you can even skip dinner".

Elisanne did not take the easy out. "Nah, I will probably show my face and grab a little bite. I need energy for tomorrow's training". Elisanne started eating.

"Will your back be in good shape for tomorrow?" asked Cleo. "You may take another day off if you like. I'll arrange that you are covered for".

Elisanne had not mentioned what body part hurt. Oh well. She was devouring the food in front of her.

"No, I am fine. Hey, where are your cooks? Are you doing all this by yourself?".

Cleo replied "I had Melody, Vice and Joe peel these potatoes and gave them the afternoon off. I can handle the rest. At least until dinner time, when they have to help me serve the dinner. Sometimes a girl wants to be alone to think".

"The last thing I want to do today is think, Cleo". Elisanne finished cleaning her plate, stood up and went to wash it. She dropped the bones in the trash. Washed the plate and her cutlery, dried it and stored it.

Cleo was watching. "Coffee?". 

"Only if you teach me how to make it, Cleo. I've never done it and would like to learn".

Cleo replied "There's nothing to learn. It's all very simple".

Cleo showed her how to grind coffee beans, how to use the filter, how to put the water in the bottom of the pot. They used a Grastaean pot, which boiled water in the bottom, and had the vapor go through the coffee and condensed on the top. It was really simple. Soon, they were just waiting for the coffee to be ready.

Elisanne just sat again and put her head over the table, looking at Cleo sideways.

"Cleo, are you Ilia in secret? I am in the church so you have to tell me if you are Ilia secretly. You are too good with me. I can keep your secret".

Cleo approached Elisanne and looked her from above. She started patting Elisanne's head.

"Silly girl, that kind of question will have Curran interrogating you for heresy in no time".

Both girls laughed softly. 

"He will interrogate me for drinking coffee. The Ilian church is very exclusively a tea joint".

Cleo replied "You realize that Heinwald gave me these beans, right? They both drink it like water".

The coffee was soon ready. Cleo poured two cups. She put one in front of Elisanne. Then she went to a cabinet and grabbed the sugar bowl. 

Elisanne drank hers. "So...any news today? Any, you know, new rumor?"

Cleo knew that Elisanne would have to fish for info, so she was going to offer it anyway. "Nothing much. The only rumor today is that Jurota was seen coming out of Malora's room last night".

Elisanne replied "Uh, didn't expect that of Jurota. Always suspected he had something going on with Aoi...is that racist? As they are both from Hinomoto and both ninjas?".

Cleo said "No, I've too noticed some weird looks going between them, but I guess this will dash any hope in the poor Aoi".

Elisanne thought about the poor Aoi. But wait. Jurota was guarding Euden's door yesterday. The last few times he had done so, he had not been relieved and had gone the full night. Which meant the rumor was a lie. 

So either Cleo was lying about the rumor, or the rumor was fake. The first made little sense, but the second would mean...Jurota probably didn't deny that rumor. It may have been started as a way to distract any rumor of the goings and comings of Elisanne to Euden's room. Which wouldn't have been as juicy, as she didn't come out that late, but any rumor about Euden's love life would run like wildfire anyway. Which was why the rumor covering it had to be juicy.

So Cleo herself or Jurota had created the rumor then. And if it was Cleo, Jurota had played along. Malora would play along just for the chance of teasing Jurota later. She owed an apology to Jurota either way. She still needed to check with him for Alex's news tomorrow.

"Jurota and Malora, uh?" said Elisanne. "That doesn't make much sense to me".

"To me neither" replied Cleo.

Elisanne lost herself in thought. She imagined Jurota and Aoi kissing. She imagined Jurota and Malora kissing. Then it came to her that Malora was one of the many girls that openly flirted with Euden, and imagined Euden and Malora kissing. Then she remembered her own kiss. It had been wonderful, even if she now wished she hadn't been so chaste and had opened her mouth and touched tongues with Euden. If a kiss was the only thing she would achieve in this romance, it may as well...

"Hey, silly girl, stop thinking whatever you are thinking. You are going to cry". Cleo woke her up from her fantasies.

Elisanne blinked and looked up from her cup of coffee. "The coffee is wonderful. I wish I had back this in Paladyn school while we crammed theology, that I never got to use anyway". 

Cleo ignored her and spoke a little more directly. "Listen, Elisanne. I've been where you are and the only cure is time. It will be painful at first, and awkward then, but even that will go away. Over time, all wounds heal. You will rise up one of these days and this will just be a memory".

Elisanne had no answer. She looked at her friend. Cleo must be speaking about Alberius. Cleo had let escape that she had loved someone in the previous Halidom, and Cleo had done a few paintings of Alberius, and few other people of that time. And she had cried for days after seeing the fusion of Chtonius and Alberius. 

But it didn't escape to Elisanne that Cleo had been the one with the idea that they both give a cake to Euden for Valentine's day. Had that been for the benefit of Elisanne? Or had Cleo been just as cowardly as herself and hid behind a joint Valentine gift to Euden? And Cleo always remarked that Euden looked just like Alberius. 

Elisanne broke up in tears. She took her gauntlet away and wiped her eyes. Cleo gave her a handkerchief. Elisanne cleared her tears with it and stored it in her pocket. Elisanne opened up her arms and hugged Cleo while sitting. The tiny sylvan hugged Elisanne back and held her head on her belly, using one hand to pat the Paladyn's head.

Elisanne spoke directly. "He told me that he hadn't feel anything for any woman since the kidnapping of Zethia".

Cleo replied. "It makes sense. I've found him crying in his room alone a few times while grabbing his laundry, even recently. He puts a happy front, but he is still broken inside".

Elisanne continued. "He said that he had kissed other girls back in Alberia, but still thanked me for mine".

Cleo was surprised. "You kissed him? Lucky you. I never kissed Alberius". 

Both girls remained that way, in silence, for a few moments. Elisanne did not want to dig further in Cleo's life, in case it came up she also loved Euden. 

After some minutes. Elisanne said "I cannot do dinner. Thanks, Cleo". She stood up, grabbed an apple and walked away. 

\------

The next day, Elisanne woke up and decided to have breakfast. She had cried some more last night, but at least she hadn't gotten drunk again. She still needed to replace the whiskey bottle. But she couldn't ignore the Halidom for ever, or it would cause even more tough questions.

She dressed up and descended to the dining hall. She had arrived early and only a couple of stragglers and the previous night's guards had been taking their breakfast. She grabbed tea and some cheese and bread, and some fruits.

Euden arrived shortly after, accompanied of Jurota and Edward. He grabbed tea and cheese and bread too, and went to sit next to Elisanne, since she was alone in her table. Elisanne looked at him, opened her eyes wide, and shook her head. Euden stopped, turned around, and sat on another table. Jurota, who came behind Euden, did the same. Luckily, some people arrived next and filled both Euden's and Elisanne's tables, so it didn't look weird that two people who ate together 99% of the time were separated when nobody else was there.

Xainfried sat next to her and spoke. "How are you Elisanne? I heard your back hurt? Cleo asked me to take over the morning training routine for the troops yesterday, but if you are still hurt, I can do it today too".

Elisanne shook her head. "Thank you, Xainfried, but it won't be necessary. Cleo used her healing magic yesterday and I feel like I can work today". 

Euden had been smart enough to get the message that he should not sit down next to Elisanne, but had not been smart enough to pick a table where Elisanne and him would not be able to look at each other.

Elisanne looked at Euden a couple of times while giving evasive answers about her wound. Her heart still jumped up whenever Euden looked back at her and her eyes met. She just lowered her head in those moments and broke eye contact. 

She finished eating and stood up, excusing herself to her table. She walked by to Euden's table, stood next to him without looking at him and spoke to Jurota.

"Jurota, have you received word?". She remembered protocol was not to mention who could be sending messages in the common rooms.

"No, Miss Elisanne. I checked the birds just before sunrise and nothing. But I expect a message at midday at best. You can met me there, I will carry the one time pad for decoding".

Elisanne nodded. "Thank you, Jurota". She walked away.

\------

Euden sat at a different table than Elisanne. He still wanted to look at her. She didn't look angry, or hurt? But she still avoided his looks. 

He spoke to Jurota. "Hey, I heard last night that you were caught after visiting Malora the day I was hurt? I didn't think you had it in you!".

Jurota replied. "I don't know what you think I have in me, my liege. I spent all that night guarding your door".

Euden laughed. "Don't worry your blue head! I understand perfectly. You didn't need to spend the night guarding my door, that's why we have guard shifts anyway. Cleo was just being overzealous. It's ok if you went some place more interesting".

Jurota said nothing.

At that precise time, he saw Malora herself sitting on a table next to them. She saluted with her hand at Jurota and Euden. Euden could not help but notice that the buttons on her shirt suffered a lot of pressure from her bosom. He had never thought about those buttons before.

Jurota gulped down his breakfast. Elisanne had finished hers and came to ask Jurota something. Jurota finished his shortly after and stood up too. As he did so, Malora looked at him, winked her left eye and then blew a kiss to the ninja. Jurota ignored her. Euden thought to himself how he wished Malora was blowing kisses at him now, like she had done the first weeks after her arrival.

Euden then noticed that on a table opposite both of them, Aoi was sitting there, looking at Malora very seriously. Euden thought that Aoi looked very cute while frowning, and that he had never noticed that.

\-----

After morning training, Elisanne went back to her room, took a bath to wash off her sweat, changed clothes and saw herself make her way towards the aviary. She arrived before Jurota. She took a seat and listened to the birds chirp. She didn't knew which one was Snow.

Soon, the blue ninja arrived. "Hello Miss Elisanne". He looked at the aviary. "Oh, look, Snow is here". He operated the double door, caught the very docile bird, and took a paper from its leg, let go of the bird and came back out by the double door.

He then came by Elisanne, handed her the paper and sit down. "You won't be able to read it yet, but I want you to help me decode it. Just read the numbers to me".

Jurota extracted a notebook and a pencil from his backpack. Elisanne looked at the tiny paper. It had a short number on top and a long number below. Jurota opened his notebook. It had a lot of numbers written on most of the page, and a small space on the bottom.

Elisanne began. "The top number is six hundred fifty nine".

Jurota did nothing. "You can continue. That's the code for the next one time pad she hadn't used yet".

Elisanne remembered a little of how this worked. She had to read the numbers two by two.

Elisanne began. "Eleven, twenty nine, twelve, fifty five". That went on for a while. 

The message wasn't that long. Was that good? Jurota spoke again. "Everything is fine. She is arriving in a week".

Elisanne asked. "Can I read the message?".

"It's not the protocol. But I guess it's your friend's life on the line so I may look the other way. If something happens to Alex, you will be a suspect, of course. Here". Jurota tore off the page from the notebook and extended it to Elisanne.

Elisanne hesitated for a moment. Then shook her head. "No. It's ok, I trust you".

Jurota stood up, crumbled the paper, stored the notebook in his backpack, took some matches from it and burned the paper down. When it burned down, he grabbed the ashes and threw them away to the wind. Since the aviary was near the top of the castle, they flew very far away.

Jurota turned around to leave.

"Jurota wait. I need to apologize".

Jurota turned back to Elisanne. "Apologize?".

"Two days ago I chewed you for not following the chain of command. It was silly of me. Of course you and you spy network don't answer to me. We only conflict on who guards Euden, and it's very clear it's my responsibility in the battlefield, and yours inside the Halidom. I am very sorry". Elisanne bowed in front of Jurota, feeling very silly.

"Miss Elisanne, please stop. The Halidom does not excel in its military order. Whatever confusion in the chain of command it's not your fault. I am glad we are clear on this". Jurota started turning away. Elisanne still had more to say.

"Jurota, I also know that either you or Cleo started that silly rumor about Malora. That was not necessary. You don't need to be evasive about it and should just deny it. I don't know what that rumor did to your reputation, but thank you very much".

"Miss Elisanne, do not worry yourself about this issue. Do me a favor and never tell anyone what you know about it, as it could reveal my methods. Good day".

Jurota turned away and left.

Elisanne found herself alone again. 

\-----

The days passed slowly as she waited for Alex's return. What was she gonna say to Alex once she arrived? She normally spoke of everything with her, but her love for Euden had gone unmentioned in her conversations. But Alex must have known. She worked closely with Jurota and his spy network, who were on top of all those rumors. Besides, all the Halidom knew to some degree which girls were in love with the Prince, and everyone had their favorites. Shipping, they called it, and she had heard more than enough to know she was one of the favorite pairings. And the list, at least the one she had heard, was not short.

After two days, she sat in the same table as Euden but barely spoke to him. After a few days, things were awkward between them but at least she felt capable of speaking to him, but she noticed that Euden was just as nervous of speaking with her as she was. Had she ruined her friendship with Euden? Maybe Euden just felt guilty. She noticed how Euden was always looking at her whenever she raised her gaze, but then looked away, never making much eye contact.

Mercifully, neither Ranzal nor Luca had done any jokes or even noticed the situation. This was unnatural, Luca particularly had a sixth sense to detect awkwardness among people. Her best guess was that Cleo had threatened them if they said something. How much had Cleo revealed to the pair to keep them quiet? How many people were in the joke?

On the other hand, Notte seemed way more affectionate with her. Notte would usually rest on Euden's head, but now she would rest on Elisanne's head and call her cute names like Eli-Eli or Sweet Eliberry. Notte probably knew everything. She was sleeping on her bed when she arrived to Euden's room, but Elisanne had looked for Notte before leaving, and she wasn't in her bed anymore. It was very possible that the fairy had seen and heard everything, or almost everything. This showed a emotional maturity in Notte than Elisanne didn't think possible before. 

She met with Jurota two times more, repeating the same routine of decoding a message, Jurota telling her that Alex was ever closer, and then going their ways. Elisanne did not ask anything else of the ninja. Her respect for him had grown manyfold. Maybe things would have been easier if she had fallen in love with him, but alas, the heart did not work like that. Besides, there were disadvantages to loving someone who would put himself in the middle of love rumors to quash any rumor about his liege.

Alex should arrive the next day during the night, maybe a little sooner, for according to Jurota, Alex was particularly fast walking even long distances. She may do a last stop in Rovetelle for food, but that was the home stretch. Rovetelle was practically the Halidom's city, as it was the closest city, the one they bought all their food from, and Halidom troops protected it. From Rovetelle to the Halidom it was just a few hours walking, just one in a horse. They sent a carriage, sometimes unguarded, to take Maribelle to school, which showed how much trust in the Halidom guard on Rovetelle there was.

Then disaster struck.

\-----

Elisanne had been looking from a high tower the bridge that lead to the road to Rovetelle, in hopes of seeing a hooded figure walk in. The sun was about to set, which meant that her vigilance would be useless and that she'd be better off going to the bridge in person. Then she saw a carriage come in, with the driver yelling at the horses to get them to run faster. She assumed the driver was yelling, for the guards let him enter. He soon had to stop anyway, as the citadel held a lot of stairs after the initial door to the bridge that the carriage would not be able to climb.

She saw someone who was probably Lowen running to the carriage, as the driver and the guards lowered a person wrapped in a blanket. The person had blonde hair. 

Fuck.

Elisanne descended the stairs as if flying. Then ran all the way from the castle to the Halidom entrance. She yelled for Cleo as she passed the dinner hall and the kitchen, but did not stop running. 

When she arrived to the carriage, the guards had gone to look for a stretcher to a close storeroom. Lowen was applying cure magic, which was a blessing, as Lowen was probably the best battlefield healer in the Halidom. Jurota was putting his ear to Alex's face. Then Jurota stood up and started yelling orders. 

Elisanne arrived. She kneeled besides Alex and started talking to her. "Alex! What happened! Are you ok?".

Alex did not answer. Lowen turned to her, and she saw the little kid furious. "Stop speaking to her! She is very weak! Jurota already made her talk and she is unconscious now! Stay away!". Lowen pointed at her with her finger with a fury she had only known in adults.

She saw herself obeying the little boy. She heard Jurota yelling.

"Aoi! grab a bird and go to Rovetelle to investigate. Take Vice and Vida. Here, grab a few one time pads. Send me a report through a commercial bird as soon as you discover anything. If necessary you may have to start a pursuit beyond Rovetelle, so you three pack light but carry enough food and money for three days. Beyond Rovetelle try to use commercial bird messaging, and save your bird for an emergency".

What had happened?

She was still stunned. She saw Alex breathe very slowly, as Lowen kept applying healing spell after healing spell, noticeably tired by the effort. 

She approached the driver who was looking at Alex too.

Elisanne spoke to him. "Excuse me, can you tell me what happened?".

"Hi, yes. I was taking an early dinner at an inn on the outskirts when I heard a yell behind me. I saw two men stabbing this girl in the back. They then ran away from the inn. Luckily in the inn there was a healer in training, so he could stop most of the bleeding. I carried him here too, he was applying healing all the way, which probably kept the girl alive".

Elisanne looked at the inside of the carriage. The carriage had a bunch of leaves remains, probably maize. The man was probably a food merchant passing through Rovetelle. Then she saw that inside the carriage there was a man sitting inside, completely exhausted, trying to catch his breath. The healer.

"How did you decide to bring her here?" asked Elisanne.

"The girl could barely talk. She said something about the Halidom, and to warn someone called Elisanne and Curran". 

"Oh. I am Elisanne. Thanks for your help. There's a standard reward for this kind of help, surely the guards will help you sort it out before you leave".

"Oh, it's not necessary. The Halidom does so much for us, I cannot possibly accept money".

The people from Rovetelle were always like this. She did not push the issue. She turned to speak with Jurota.

"Jurota, the driver told me what happened. It may have been Perditionists' assassins, as Alex said to warn Curran and me".

Jurota looked at her. "Do you want to go with Aoi? Or should we send Curran?".

Elisanne replied immediately. "I will wait by Alex's side. Curran and Heinwald are visiting. I will send for Curran and Heinwald will probably want to go too. They are good at investigations and in a fight". 

Jurota agreed. "Ok, but no one else. Five people is already too big of a group. I'd prefer four people. Send for those two".

Elisanne looked around and saw Irfan walking in towards the carriage. He'd do just fine. Elisanne stopped Irfan and gave him specific orders to grab Curran and Heinwald and bring them as soon as possible, and to tell them to pack light. Irfan departed.

Jurota was talking to the carriage driver. "Good sir, we give you many thanks for your help, but the Halidom requires one last favor. Could you drive a group of five people to the inn in Rovetelle, please? We can compensate you".

The driver answered. "I have to go back anyway, don't worry about the coin. Could someone look at the healer I brought, though? I know he hasn't been stabbed but he looks very tired".

Jurota said nothing and jumped on the carriage. He took the man's pulse and touched his forehead. Then he put his hands in front of him and murmured some words. The healer shone light for a second and then started breathing more slowly. Jurota jumped off the carriage. 

"He isn't sick or anything but he was exhausted. I know a little magic to recover strength that should do the trick".

As he said this Elisanne saw the healer stand up and look around. Then he looked at Alex. "How's the girl?".

Lowen answered. "She is very weak. You probably saved her life, but we will need more than ninja tricks to bring her back. You did a great job".

In a few minutes Aoi, Vice and Vida arrived, carrying light backpacks. A bird perched on Aoi's shoulder. Curran and Heinwald arrived shortly afterwards, similarly equipped.

Jurota walked to the group. "Ok, this is a capture mission. Rovetelle is Halidom territory, and we cannot let any assassin attack us there. It's not enough with discovering the details of the attack, we want to capture the culprits. That may mean a chase off Rovetelle. Aoi is in charge, understood, everyone?". She looked at Curran, who answered to the Church of Ilia, and Heinwald, who answered to no one, but both were assenting. 

Jurota continued. "Aoi, you are in charge. Check the Halidom guard in Rovetelle to see if they know anything. Vice, you know the underbelly of Rovetelle, see if the attackers had connections. Vida, you investigate separate from Curran and Heinwald and compare notes. Curran, Heinwald, as I said, do a separate investigation from Vida. Vida, Curran and Heinwald will report to Aoi who will make a decision. Maybe to split the group, maybe to go all together. Send me the first bird at that point, Aoi. Also, take this carriage but don't ride to the inn itself, stop away from it and walk the rest of the way". 

Jurota turned to the driver and the healer. "You two don't show your faces at that inn for at least a week, hopefully two. We don't know if there are more assassins there and you could have put yourselves in danger by doing this, I am sorry about it. Oh, Heinwald, on the way there, check the vitals of this healer here, patch him up if necessary". Heinwald assented. They all started boarding the carriage. Elisanne saw Aoi take Jurota in a quick hug, and then the blonde ninja boarded the carriage too. The carriage drove away.

Irfan was back. Lowen then stood up and now he started giving orders. "Guards! let's put Alex in the stretcher you brought. I need help to keep her alive. Irfan! can you go back and bring some healers? Hopefully Sophie? Tell Cleo to prepare a healing room".

Cleo was just arriving. She said "Oh I will go do that".

Lowen stopped her. "Oh Cleo, you are here. Change in the orders. Irfan, run inside and tell any healer you find to prepare a healing room. Cleo, help me here. Take over keeping Alex alive, as I am exhausted".

Lowen dropped to the floor as Cleo took her staff and started applying spells on Alex. Lowen just said "You are in charge of this mess now, Cleo, I don't know enough for this".

Cleo just nodded, not interrupting her spells. The little kid had been amazing.

The guards started carrying Alex on the stretcher. Cleo told them to move more slowly. Elisanne had done nothing to help. She felt awful. Jurota walked up to her. "Let's go inside. We can do nothing but wait now". Jurota walked ahead, and yelled some orders to a second group of guards, but Elisanne just stood there.

"Elisanne, let's follow them" said a known voice behind her.

Elisanne looked behind and there was Euden, in casual clothes but carrying a small sword at his side, surrounded by the group of guards that Jurota had just assigned to the task. They wore a helmet that only covered the top of their heads, light armor and only carried a lance.

"Elisanne, you are in shock. Walk with me". 

Elisanne followed Euden, still too scared of losing Alex. The guards followed.

\-----

Elisanne found herself at the healing room. Euden spoke. "You need to enter, Elly".

Elisanne did not turn around to look at Euden and entered. Euden waited outside.

Sophie had prepared one of the healing rooms at the entrance of the Halidom. It had a few medical instruments and an apparatus for blood transfusion, and a lot of magical artifacts Elisanne did not recognize. Althemia was inside, preparing one of these artifacts and then looking at the blood transfuser.

Alex was put in the medical bed by the guards, who then retired. Cleo started giving orders. Sophie imposed her hands over Alex and spoke some weird words. Elisanne saw that Edward was here too. He was cleaning Alex of all the blood on her, but she had a lot of it covering her.

Althemia came to speak to Elisanne. "Elisanne. Do you know Alex's blood group?".

Elisanne answered "No. But when we were little, Alex had an accident and needed blood. I donated it and the doctors said that it was lucky Alex had been the hurt one, for I could donate blood to Alex, but Alex could not donate to me".

Althemia nodded "Are you absolutely sure? This could kill Alex if you are wrong. If you have even a minor doubt, please tell me. We can test for compatible donors but we will need more time".

Elisanne was sure. "Yes, I remember this event perfectly. We were discussing it with Alex two weeks ago".

Althemia didn't look convinced. "Well, I can test that donation path quickly at least. Give me your finger". Elisanne put her hand before Althemia, who used a small knife to puncture her index. She grabbed her blood in a small flask. Then she went to Alex, who was covered in blood, and took some blood into another, differently shaped flask, as close to the wound as possible. Then she grabbed both flasks and walked to a table, put a little of each flask's blood on a small dish, then put her hands over it and spoke some words. Then she looked at the result for a couple of minutes. At the end she seemed satisfied. She then started rummaging in a cabinet and pulled two ribbons from it. She put a black ribbon on one flask, and a blue ribbon in another.

Althemia started talking again. "Elisanne has compatible blood. I just checked. Let's put her in the machine".

Elisanne was dragged to another bed next to Alex. Althemia came close, took a tube that ended in a needle, and stopped to look at Elisanne: "You give your consent to give blood to Alex here, right?". Althemia didn't expect for her answer and punctured Elisanne in the right arm. She saw a similar procedure was being done by Sophie to Alex in the other bed, sans the question. She saw the tube become darker as blood abandoned her body. It hurt just a little.

Althemia turned to Cleo. "How much blood will we take from Elisanne?".

Elisanne spoke up. "Just take as much as you need, Althemia!".

Cleo then looked at Elisanne very angry and pointed a finger at her. "Elisanne! you will remain in silence as long as you are here! Do not speak unless you are talked to, and even then you will speak in a low volume! Your voice could perturb Alex!". Elisanne shut up, scared.

Cleo then turned to Althemia. "She weights around 70 kg, and is a healthy woman with a lot of musculature. She could easily give 600 ml, make it 700 ml which is a little risky but won't kill Elisanne. At worst she will pass out". Althemia moved to the machine and adjusted something.

Althemia said "My job is done here. We still need at least two donors more, and I am going to search for them in the Halidom". She grabbed the two flasks of blood and a few dishes like she had used and walked out of the room.

Cleo approached Elisanne. She spoke softly to her. "Elly, sweetheart, the donation will take around half an hour. After that, you will go to the kitchen where you will eat some milk and cheese. Then you will go you to your room, being carried if necessary. We are taking the absolute maximum of blood from you that is safe, so it is possible that you will fall asleep very fast after this".

Elisanne wanted to complain, but she stopped herself. She just shook her head. Cleo told her "Ok, you can speak now but in whispers".

Elisanne whispered. "I want to remain here and see how Alex progresses".

Cleo replied. "Impossible, my dear. You will pass out, and as I said, your presence here could perturb Alex. I need you both afar from each other at least until tomorrow. Do this for me and for Alex, would you, sweetheart".

Elisanne saw herself forced to accept this. She nodded.

Then she spent a few minutes in silence. She noticed Euden had entered the room. They looked at each other, this time, not breaking eye contact for a while. Eventually Cleo went to Euden and spoke with him, which made him break eye contact with Elisanne. Euden then left the room.

Elisanne didn't move anymore, except to look up at the door that Euden had used to exit.

Soon the machine stopped. Cleo came and took the plug from Elisanne's arm. Cleo took her by the arm and helped her stand up. She felt very weak suddenly. She put all her weight on Cleo arm and walked. Cleo opened the door and called Euden.

"Remember, first stop by the kitchen. Joe is there and has a plate ready for you. Euden, grab a bite too. Then carry Elisanne to her room and put her to sleep. I will send someone in an hour to tell you how Alex progresses. Ok?". 

Elisanne interjected, whispering. "I won't be able to sleep with Alex's here. Euden, can we go to your room? We can send Notte back and forth for news".

Cleo answered for Euden. "Do that, but don't keep that fairy bothering us every five minutes. Send her once an hour. Oh one more thing. If you noticed, Alex and you are the only members of the Church here. You two will need to swear secrecy to the transfusion".

Elisanne was confused. "Wait, why would the transfusion be a secret?".

Cleo answered. "Because that machine is Dyrenell technology, heresy to the church. Without that machine, a transfusion takes hours, and may be too slow to be of any help". She pointed a finger at Elisanne and Euden. "Not a word of this. To anyone. Althemia is looking for donors outside the members of the Church of Ilia. Luck has it we just sent Curran and Heinwald away".

Elisanne just nodded. "I will keep the secret, and I am sure Alex will too".

Cleo said nothing and closed the door. Elisanne walked away with Euden's help. They made their way to the kitchen. A few guards walked behind them.

As Cleo had said, Joe was expecting them. He put a plate with cheese and some fruits in front of Elisanne, and a large glass of milk. Then he presented Euden with a more regular dinner: a leg of turkey and some rice, accompanied with a large glass of fruit juice.

They ate in silence, but kept looking at each other. Elisanne spoke first. "I didn't notice when you arrived to the healing room? Did Cleo call you?".

Euden answered. "Yeah, she wanted me to guard you".

Elisanne thought about it. Cleo was just too busy healing Alex to worry about Elisanne and Euden being weird at each other. Ranzal and Luca were away for the day and there was nobody else free around.

Elisanne went silent. To keep a conversation going, she grabbed the first subject at hand. "Hey what's with these guards?".

Euden answered. "Jurota is normally my bodyguard inside the Halidom, but he is always supported by Aoi, who is away. He felt he wasn't doing enough in a night with an attempt on the life of one of us, and thus put six guards to be with me at all times. Jurota told me he had errands to run. I suspect he will send a second team to Rovetelle, it's possible. His team B is not as stealthy, I think it is normally composed of Waike, Fritz, Renelle and Ezelith. In any case, Jurota will probably join us once he finishes whatever he set out to do".

Elisanne nodded. "Jurota is truly great at his job".

Euden nodded in agreement. Then it was Euden's turn to make conversation. "Did you know he had a fling or something with Malora?". 

Elisanne raised her brows. Did Euden not realize the lie? "Euden, let's talk about that once we are in your room".

They both ate in silence. They were capable of meeting each other's eyes now. Maybe the stress of the situation made Elisanne less awkward.

Elisanne and Euden stood up. Joe grabbed his plates and said "no worries, I'll clean this". They both left, accompanied by the guards. 

At the stair, Elisanne grabbed once more Euden's arm and started climbing stairs. She had trouble climbing the stairs, and stopped at the sixth one.

Euden offered "hey, do you want me to carry you in my arms? I've done it before, I am sure I can lift you".

Elisanne thought about it for a second. When that happened she was in her bridal outfit pretending to be Euden's fiancee. No.

Elisanne said "What about one of your guards. Hey, can any of you pick me up and carry me to the third floor?". One of the guards offered himself. She put her arm over his shoulders and he grabbed her back, and used his other arm to grab her behind her knees. She lifted her and started climbing the stairs.

After a couple of minutes they got there. The guard put Elisanne down. Elisanne thanked him. Euden offered his arm again without commentary, and Elisanne took it. They walked up to Euden's room. Euden opened the door, made Elisanne enter and closed the door behind him. The guards would guard from the outside. 

Euden asked Elisanne "do you want to sleep in my bed? I will take the sofa".

Elisanne answered "I cannot sleep like this. I need news about Alex. I will just sit in the sofa".

Elisanne sat. Euden was nervous about reviving the other night and stood away from the sofa.

"Euden, I am not a little girl. Just sit here, or sit on your bed. Don't worry about it".

Euden went and closed the window, as the night was very cold. Euden then sat on his bed. 

He called for Notte. "Hey, Notte, we need a favor".

Notte appeared from behind a small folding screen on a table by the window.

"Uh, what are you guys doing here? Elisanne! Did you see my folding screen? This way a fairy can have a little more privacy from the evil princes!".

"It's wonderful, Notte", answered Elisanne. "We have a problem. Alex is severely hurt and Cleo and other healers are treating her in the first floor. I just donated blood and was ordered to rest here. Can you fly to the first floor and ask for Alex's state? we may ask you to go every hour, if the abuse is not too much?".

Notte looked distraught. "Uh....ok Elly. I hope Alex is ok. I will go immediately. Notte flew out of a small hole over the door that had been recently made for her. 

Elisanne looked at Euden. "Hey Euden, how much does Notte know about the other night?".

Euden shook his head. "I don't know. I know she was here when you arrived, and then she disappeared once you left. So...some of it at least? all of it? I don't know".

Euden was worried about how calm Elisanne was speaking about the night she herself said to never speak again about. But then again, Elisanne had bigger issues in her mind right now. Which meant any awkwardness was his fault.

Notte arrived shortly. She again entered by the hole above the door.

She started her summary. "Alex is still sleeping. She is being forced to sleep. They found that Yaten had a compatible blood type, and he is donating blood right now, and Verica also has a compatible blood type, but is waiting her turn".

Elisanne asked. "Did they tell you when Alex is gonna wake up?". 

"They said that once they are done with the transfusions, they will stop the forced sleep, but she may still sleep all night until tomorrow, easily".

Euden then said "Notte, we need another favor. Can you find Jurota? He may be in the aviary, or in the kitchen, or who knows where. You may need to ask around. But if you don't find him, stop looking in an hour and go check about Alex again, ok?".

Notte repeated the instructions: "Look for Jurota, give up in an hour, and then go to check with Alex again". The fairy once more disappeared through the hole on top of the door.

Euden looked at Elisanne. He smiled while saying "We forgot to tell Notte to look for Jurota in Malora's room".

Elisanne turned her head to the side. "Do you really believe that rumor, your Highness?".

Euden looked surprised. "Well, I asked him and he denied it, so I don't think so?".

Elisanne remembered Jurota's warning. Jurota probably fed rumors to people from time to time to fish for leaks, or for various other reasons. If Jurota supposed Euden was himself leaking rumors, as Euden was supremely trusting of everyone, Jurota may find it useful to tell Euden himself some lies. It'd be in the best interest of Euden to not let him know that Jurota sometimes invented those rumors.

Elisanne had her answer. "Well, a gentleman has no memory. If he did visit Malora that night, he is being chivalrous by denying it".

Euden answered. "Well I guess that makes sense".

Elisanne continued. "Now I worry what rumors will people start now that you had six guards carrying me to your room".

Elisanne was now looking at her lap, just like the other night. Euden did not like this. He missed even having eye contact with Elisanne. They had small pieces of normal conversations tonight, which made him nostalgic.

Euden tried to think of something happier to talk about. "Hey, when Alex wakes up, what are you gonna talk about with her?". Euden immediately regretted this and wished he had thought of something better.

Elisanne did not raise her gaze, but stood up. She walked up, then looked through the window. "What I am gonna tell her? That I love her very much and that I missed her". Then she turned back from the window. "Then I am gonna confess that while she was out there risking her life for all of us, I was behaving like a stupid teenager in love. In love with a literal teenager". 

Euden did not like how Elisanne put herself down. He stood up and stood behind her. "That's not fair, Elly". Euden looked at her from behind, which in her regular female Paladyn uniform showed her whole back. 

Elisanne answered "You are still 19 for a couple of months, Euden. A teenager technically".

Euden replied. "No, I don't care about being called a teenager. I am an immature idiot. I am saying that you acted following your feelings. That was very brave of you".

Elisanne just sighed loudly. Euden approached behind her and hugged her from the back. Elisanne was surprised, but let him. His hands crossed over her stomach. She put her own hands over his and caressed his right hand with her fingers to indicate to him it was ok to do this. He fell his head fall over her shoulder, and she leaned her head back to touch his. 

Euden said "This is the part where you say 'No, Euden, you aren't an immature idiot'".

Elisanne answered "But it is true, though". Both laughed. 

Elisanne wished she could remain in this pose forever. Even if Euden was a little shorter than her (not helped by her platform paladyn boots), she still felt nice being hugged by the strong arms of Euden. Her head was touching Euden's, and she was left looking at the ceiling of the room. There was a small magical chandelier with a few curved mirrors hanging. She concentrated on one that reflected everything behind her and saw herself being hugged by Euden.

Euden whispered. "I am sorry".

Elisanne answered, whispering too. "Stop apologizing".

They stood like that. Elisanne kept looking at herself on the lamp's crystal and noticed the window showed the night outside. Then noticed how something covered the night outside. Then she heard the sound of crystal crashing and turned around, dragging Euden behind her.

There was a humanoid creature in front of her. It had a claw extended and she saw some blood on it. Then she heard Euden take a huge breath behind her and fell to the floor. 

Her hand hand went immediately in search for the weapon closer to her, the sword Euden carried on his belt. She jumped back a little and crouched to grab it. She saw Euden was bleeding from somewhere, probably his back. Before she could stand up back, she saw the claw coming at her and moved back, but the claw still grazed her back. She ignored the pain and stood up. She took a swing at the thing, but it just dodged. She saw it was absolutely black, although shiny. It had white, human eyes, and although humanoid, the proportions were very wrong. The other arm didn't have a claw, but a huge first. The legs and arms were longer than a human, and the torso was very thin and small compared through the extremities.

She then heard the door open and the guards coming inside yelling "What's going on!". 

She saw a guard appear from her side and thrust a lance at the beast. The beast dodged too, it seemed to be very good at changing her balance to dodge hits. Upon dodging, the claw came back at the guard, who also pulled back and wasn't hit.

She crouched and grabbed Euden by his jacket. She started pulling him out of the room. Of the other five guards, four entered the room, and the last one ran away, presumably looking for help. 

The creature saw this. It lunged at the guard at her right and caught his face with the claw. The guard gave a horrible yell. Then the creature jumped over the sofa and gave three swings with its claw at the guards. Two of them guarded, the other cut. She saw a guard just fall grabbing his own neck. That guard was probably dead. Then the creature used its huge fist, and punched the fourth guard in the chest, who just flew away. The creature ran down the hallway and seconds later she heard a horrible yell.

Then the creature came back. Elisanne and only three other guards were in condition to fight. The three guards stood in front of her and had had time to order themselves side to side. They didn't carry shields, just lances, but were using the three lances they had in a disciplined way. They each lunged in order at the beast. This kept on for a while. 

Elisanne looked at Euden. He was bleeding. She finally noticed he had a huge wound on his left arm. She took off his jacket and pressed it against the wound. She ordered Euden "Keep this pressed". Then she saw Euden also had a wound on her side. She moved part of the jacket to it. She said. "Keep both pressed. Somehow. Stay down!". Euden just gave a soft "ok" as answer.

She stood up with Euden's sword in her hand. She looked to grab the lance of the first guard, but then she heard the creature taking breath. Elisanne looked at the creature and saw spitting some gas at the guards. The guards coughed a little but stood their ground. Then the creature took a swing at the rightmost guard with its claw. The guard didn't react in time and the claw inserted in his face. He fell. The other two guards took lunges at the creature. One of them hit her on the body and black blood erupted from the creature, but the creature didn't seem to care. Probably a light wound only. 

Elisanne ran to the window and yelled "Help! Prince Euden is being attacked in his room!". She hoped someone heard her. She yelled two times more.

When she turned around, only one guard remained standing, between her and the creature. The guard walked back slowly. The creature advanced little by little. The creature raised its big fist and at that moment three daggers flew on it, and its blades stuck into the creature. One on the face, two on the torso. The creature didn't show pain and turned to look at its assailant. Then Elisanne saw a blue figure jump on top of it with a curved sword falling on the creature. The creature parried the blade with its claw.

It was Jurota. 

The standing guard lunged at the creature. The creature moved and dodged the lance, then instead of continuing the attack on Jurota, jumped over the guard and his lance. It landed on top of the guard, and gave a punch and a claw slash onto the fallen guard. Elisanne took the opening and swung her sword at it. The swing landed on the clawed arm and did a deep cut on it. A lot of blood splashed the floor. The creature yelled horribly. Elisanne raised her sword to give it another slash. Jurota came from behind, raising his katana over his head and preparing to cut the creature down. Then, in half a second the creature crouched and supported his fist arm on the floor, as its clawed one limped useless. The creature quickly throw a kick from the crouch towards Jurota. The leg was really long and Jurota was hit on his stomach before he could react. Jurota flew away through the door. 

Elisanne swung on the crouching creature. The creature put back its kicking leg on the floor and moved quickly to the side. Elisanne missed, but from the miss she launched a swing in the reverse direction. The creature punched at her hand with the fist. It hit Elisanne on her hand and crushed it. She let a yell out. Her right hand was broken, and the sword fell to the ground. The creature took it and threw it through the window. The creature took a second punch at Elisanne, and while she tried to move aside, it still punched her hard enough that she flew onto some of Euden's cabinets.

Elisanne was in great pain. She could not move and saw the creature stand up and turn towards Jurota, who was trying to stand up. He seemed in pain. The creature opened its big fist, and used the fingers to grab one of the daggers that Jurota had launched at it, the one in her head. It removed it from its head, and with a swift movement, it threw the dagger towards Jurota. It landed on his chest. Jurota looked surprised and fell back to the floor. 

Elisanne started looking for another weapon. She had nothing on herself except her boots and gauntlets, but she knew she would not be able to kick or punch the creature. The only sword Euden carried had been thrown off the window, and with a broken arm, a lance would be worse than useless. She saw that Euden had some decorative weapons hanging from the wall. But she knew they weren't in a good state. Still. But they hanged at a higher height than she could grab alone. She'd need to move a chair to grab it.

Then she noticed the table she had fallen on had some fruit around it. She looked around and saw the peeling knife Euden always used on the floor. It would have to suffice. The knife was very small, but had a good edge.

The creature removed the other two daggers from its body and threw them at Jurota. Jurota didn't even move in reaction as his own ninja daggers stuck on him. Then she saw Euden stand up and walk towards the creature. He saw the blood fall from his side and his arm.

That stupid kid could not stop putting himself in danger. 

If Euden was killed, all their efforts so far would be for nothing. She was about to pass out. She gritted her teeth and pushed through the pain. She put her good arm, with the knife firmly grappedd in it as a fist on the floor, to stand up. She stood up with great pain. Euden said something she could not understand. The hit probably messed with her head. The creature turned towards Euden. It methodically lifted back its fist arm and then threw a punch at Euden. Euden didn't react. The punch landed and Euden flew through the room. Euden's body hit her. She fell back to the ground. She hoped the punch and the landing had not been enough to kill Euden. She stood back up.

She was the last person standing in the room. The creature turned towards her. She had a knife in her left hand. She moved her hand to hid the small blade. Her right hand was broken, but her right arm still worked. She decided to do a last trick on the creature. She did a huge sweeping movement like a punch with her right hand. The creature predictably used the its left arm, the one with the fist, to punch back at her right arm. 

Elisanne's right arm stopped midair and dodged the punch. The creature had put a lot of weight on it and advanced towards her. Elisanne had moved just enough to not be hit by it. She quickly sliced the creature's neck with the knife. The creature fell, tried to grab her neck with her good arm and started kicking around. Elisanne got hit by one of the kicks and fell. 

As she stood up, the saw the creature somehow standing up too. A ton of black blood was pouring from her neck. The creature jumped on top of Elisanne. Elisanne could not dodge. The creature landed on top of her with her legs. Then it sat on top of Elisanne. It started punching her, in the face, but the punches were much weaker than before. Still, she saw white when they hit and hurt a lot.

Elisanne had not let go of the knife. As hard as she could with her left hand, she started stabbing the creature on the back, as the creature punched her more and more. 

After a couple of stabs, the creature fell on its side from her, finally dead or unconscious. Elisanne did not take chances. She dragged herself to the head of it and stabbed it once more on the left eye. The creature jerked in pain. Then she stabbed the other eye, but the creature didn't move. Elisanne stabbed the throat again, and opened more that wound. It bleed even more but didn't move.

It was finally dead.

She fell on the floor. But she could not let herself pass out yet. She looked around. Euden was looking at her with his eyes very open, while he pressed the side of his torso with his good hand. He was breathing quickly. Not good.

As she was trying to stand up once more, she heard a yell. Then Notte entered the room yelling. 

Elisanne did not have time to explain. She yelled. "Notte! We were attacked by a creature! Euden is very hurt! Go to the first floor! Bring healers and soldiers, as there could be more attackers! Go!".

Luckily, Notte did not panic and followed her orders. 

She stood up slowly. She went to Euden's side and crouched. She was not sure she was going to be able to stand up once more. 

"Are you ok, Euden?".

Euden answered weakly. "I am ok, but I've lost a lot of blood". 

Elisanne looked below him, and saw he was sitting on a pool of his blood. Not good. 

Euden spoke again. But he only managed to say "Elisanne" and then he passed out. Elisanne watched, horrified. But she saw him still breathing, so she calmed herself. As long as he was healed soon, he'd make it.

She fell to the floor from her crouch. Her back fell on the wall next to Euden. She grabbed Euden's hand with her left hand and started crying softly. Euden's hand was very cold.

\-----

Minutes passed. Finally she heard noise outside. Yaten entered the room, sword in hand. He yelled "Euden is here!". Cleo entered behind and crouched next to Elisanne and Euden. She started applying healing spells on Euden.

Elisanne told Cleo "He lost a ton of blood, Cleo". Elisanne could barely make herself heard. Cleo yelled at someone outside "Bring the machine here! Prepare a donor for Euden!". She heard people running outside. She saw some guards take positions around the room.

"They should guard the window" said Elisanne to Cleo. Cleo turned around and yelled at Yaten. "Yaten! Guard the window!". One of the guards heard, looked around, saw the window broken in and did the math in his head. The guard, way before Yaten could even react, walked to the window, looked outside, yelled "Window clear!". and then stood back, and took a pose pointing his lance at the window.

Yaten reacted just then, and walked to the window and took his sword out and took a defensive pose too. Yaten had always been slow, and Elisanne remembered he had donated blood to Alex.

Althemia arrived. She ignored Elisanne. She kneeled next to her, and put her arms over her to sponge some of Euden's blood into a flask. Once she had enough, she stood back up and left.

Sophie arrived afterwards, and too kneeled next to Euden and started healing him.

Edward arrived and saw Euden. He came to stand next to the two healers. Elisanne raised her voice.

"Edward! This isn't over! I need to speak to Jurota! Drag me there".

Edward shook his head. "Jurota has passed out. Lowen is healing him. He has lost a lot of blood and is in danger of dying".

Elisanne replied. "We need to send a message to Aoi. They may be attacked by a similar creature, if they haven't already. What's more, it's possible the carriage driver or the healer that helped Alex may be in with the attackers. Somehow force Jurota to wake up and ask him how to send a message to Aoi".

Edward shook his head again. "It won't be necessary. I know how to code a message and I know Aoi's birds. We can use one of them to find her. But it may be too late. It's been two hours since they departed, and the bird will take an hour to arrive there too".

Elisanne said "Just do it!". She saw Edward run to Jurota and take a notebook from the ninja's backpack.

Then Elisanne passed out.

\-----

Elisanne woke up. She was in Cleo's room. She looked around, and saw that Euden was standing next to her, but was looking at someone else. She followed what he was looking and saw Alex. Both were dressed in very loose clothes, and had visible bandages coming below them. The bed she was in was very tall, judging from he could see Euden only from the chest up, and the bed wasn't next to any wall, so she was almost the middle of the room.

She spoke up, but could barely speak. "Euden, Alex". 

Both heard her, though, and turned to her.

"Elisanne! you are awake!" said Euden. He took Elisanne's left hand. Alex came to her and took her right hand. Somehow, her right hand did not hurt. The bones must have been magically healed.

Alex said "Elly! You had me worried! You have been out for two days".

Elisanne was shocked. "What? Why? What happened?".

Cleo appeared from a side. "It's my fault, actually, I am sorry".

Elisanne was shocked. Had Cleo kept her unconscious? 

Euden spoke. "It's my fault, really. As I was hurt, all the healers concentrated on healing me, because I am the Big and Important Prince. I was passed out so I couldn't order them to give attention to you or Jurota".

Cleo spoke. "And since Jurota had passed out before you, he received first aids by Lowen. Only once he was stable, did Lowen come to help you. I am sorry".

Alex said "They stopped my healing after the third transfusion because of the attack. I am told I almost died. I owe my life to Xania, who managed to stabilize me. And since they gave priority to Euden, you almost died too. Your heart stopped and everything". Alex voice was monotone and serious. She always spoke in a single tone, except for moments of great emotion.

Cleo nodded. "I am sorry, Elly. Euden was really badly hurt and took all of us to not lose him". 

Elisanne replied. "It's ok, Cleo. I would have preferred to die if Euden died because I couldn't protect him".

Alex hit her softly on the head. "Stop saying stupid things, Elly".

Elisanne asked. "And Jurota? And the guards?".

Cleo spoke again. "Three of the guards were dead when we arrived here. Lowen saved the other three. One of them is still asleep, recovering. Jurota woke up early in the day, but is sleeping again right now".

Euden spoke. "Aoi's group is fine too. They had their own adventures. They were attacked as they were investigating separately, but managed to come together and fought a creature similar to the one here".

Alex said "The creature is what hurt me too at the inn. The carriage guy and the healer were in, but were killed in the town fight. The plan seemed to be to distract us with my wounds. Heinwald said the carriage had traces of claws underneath it. The creature must have come hanging under it, and simply sneaked in the dark. Jurota had put a guard under Euden's window, but we found him dead yesterday".

Euden spoke. "There's a battle going on right now. The empire is attacking outside of Rovetelle. It's a small force. Ranzal is leading our forces right now. They probably thought of attacking us as we mourned my death, or at least while I recovered. But probably had to sit their forces a day away from Rovetelle so we wouldn't be on alert and stop the creature attack happened, so they couldn't attack until today".

A voice sounded from behind Euden. "Our defenses are too bad. We need to reinforce them, put more guards. Improve the security around Rovetelle. We were complacent. 

Euden moved to look at the voice. It was Jurota, who apparently had awoken and was listening. Elisanne was surprised to see Malora next to him. Elisanne looked at Cleo and opened her eyes, gesturing with her head to Malora. Cleo inclined herself to Elisanne and whispered. 

"No idea. Half our forces are with Ranzal, the other half is patrolling the castle. Malora was left behind to guard the door from the citadel walls, but between shifts she comes and sits next to Jurota's bed, even when he was asleep. I don't know the deal". As she said this, Malora kissed Jurota on the cheek, said goodbye and left.

Euden spoke. "We are waiting for news. The battle should be ended by now".

Elisanne noticed for the first time that Euden was caressing her left hand.

\-----

After a while, Notte entered the room yelling. "Bird news! bird news! I cannot read the message!".

Edward appeared and took the message from Notte. He pulled out a notebook and pen and paper and prepared to decipher it.

Jurota raised his voice. "Give me the message and the one time pad. It will be faster". Edward walked towards Jurota and handed both. Jurota looked at both papers for a moment. After some seconds he said "It's...victory. No casualties, only wounded on our side. Battle reports are very standard" he said, as if that explained anything.

Everyone celebrated. Edward grabbed the message and started deciphering anyway, probably for practice.

After a few minutes, Elisanne fell asleep again.

\-----

Elisanne woke up again. This time she was in her bed, in her room. Matilda was next to her.

She heard Alex speak in her characteristic monotone rhythm. "You slept another twelve hours. You are fine now. Muscles may be weak". Elisanne turned her head and saw Alex sitting on their sofa, reading a book. "We moved you here today. You didn't even notice". 

"Where's everyone?".

Alex answered. "Euden is in Rovetelle. He is staying there for a while. Trying to figure out how to improve the security of the town. Probably build a town wall, or a bunch of watch towers, dunno".

"Cleo?".

"Sleeping in her room, which she finally recovered. All the healers are exhausted. Come on, let's go to the kitchen and grab some food. You probably need it".

Elisanne stood up. She wasn't as weak as the day of the attack. Alex still took her arm and both went down. At the kitchen, Joe and Vice gave them dinner. Elisanne interrogated Vice about the fight in Rovetelle.

Vice's summary was short. "Ah, nasty stuff. I almost got to assassinate the carriage driver and the healer, but a creature killed them as I was trying to catch them. A shame". 

Alex said "the creatures seem to be very intelligent. Probably a mutated human, done by one of Euden's brothers, probably Pharos. They must have wanted to silence the witnesses".

Alex and Elisanne decided to take the dinner back to their rooms. Elisanne could go up the stairs without grabbing onto Alex, who had her hands occupied anyway.

They sat in a table in their room. 

"Thanks for donating blood to me, Elly".

"It's nothing".

Alex replied "I wish I could say I'd do the same for you, but you know I can't".

Elisanne laughed. "Sorry. That history came in handy, in fact, cause I remembered I could donate blood to you".

Elisanne paused and said "Alex, I would like to tell you about something that happened while you were out".

"Is it crazier than getting attacked by a weird creature and then saving Euden with a peeling knife?".

Elisanne sighed. "In a way, yes".

She related to Alex the events of her confession to Euden. Alex just shook her head.

"I told you romance novels were trash. You should have married me".

Elisanne knew that by now, Alex's heart had healed long ago and she was joking. She still apologized to her friend. "I am sorry I don't like girls. My life would be so much easier".

"It's ok, we will find you a good church man. Tobias. High position in the church. Strong. Old enough he won't play games with you. Or Hope. Young, simple minded, he will obey you in everything".

"Ah, if the heart worked that way, Alex. What about you? Have you found a girl you like?".

"Got my eye on Julietta. She will take me as consolation prize once you marry Tobias. Or Hope".

Elisanne raised a brow. "Julietta? I don't think she goes that way?".

Alex forced a smile. "It's a good thing I am the spy and you the paladyn. You lack observation skills".

They ate and spoke well into the night. Eventually Cleo woke up and joined her friends. She brought a bottle of whiskey. The three drank, although Elisanne only had a little glass of it.

\-----

The days passed. Euden returned from Rovetelle after a week. He arrived late in the night. He asked his food to be delivered to his room.

So it was very late when Euden knocked on the door to Elisanne and Alex's room. Euden said "Elisanne. A word, please?".

Elisanne was in her pajamas. She answered. "Give me a minute your highness, I need to change". She closed the door. 

Alex spoke. "Go like that". Elisanne ignored her and got dressed again. She went out. Euden was still there. He was dressed in his typical jacket. They walked down the to Euden's room, which did not have a guard outside. "Your highness, where's Jurota?" she asked.

Euden answered. "Oh, I asked him to run an errand for me. He will be back any minute". They entered. She noticed some movement above. She looked and managed to see Notte exiting the room before the door closed. 

Elisanne looked at the window. It had been replaced, and outside, a grate had been installed, for added security. Euden now had a couple of weapon racks, with lances, knives and swords. 

Euden noticed her looking at the weapon rack. "I noticed that in our last fight here you ran out of weapons and had to make do with a fruit knife". Elisanne nodded. Not a bad idea.

Euden sat on the sofa. In front of the sofa there was a small table, that had rests of the dinner, and a bottle of wine.

"I am sorry for the disorder. I haven't taken the food down to the kitchen". Elisanne gestured that it was no problem.

Once more they sat on the sofa. "I hope this is a happier occasion than the previous two, your Highness", joked Elisanne.

"I hope so too. Did you see the window? Jurota insisted on barring the window. We may bar the rest of the castle's windows later. We didn't expect to face something that could climb walls so easily".

Elisanne answered. "That's a good precaution. But what did you want to talk about, your Highness?".

Euden stood up, and served two glasses of wine. He didn't ask if Elisanne wanted to drink, and just handed her a glass.

"I wanted to thank you for saving my life. And Jurota's. And a few of our guards".

Elisanne drank a little of wine and replied.

"My Prince Euden, it's my duty. There's no need to insist on this".

"Elisanne, I wanted to reward you. But, you know I cannot give you a higher rank. Do you want a higher stipend? Vacations?".

Elisanne opened her eyes a lot and looked at Euden. She grabbed his hand and pressed it very hard.

Elisanne yelled. "I want you to stop putting yourself in danger for no reason, your Highness! You could have been killed when you stood up and faced the creature while wounded".

Euden shook his head. "Impossible. I will always protect my friends. And I will always protect you".

Elisanne released his hand and threw her glass away. It crashed on a wall, and the wine stained the wall. Elisanne crossed her arms while looking away from him.

"I cannot protect you like this, Euden! I will quit if you don't promise me right now! I will go away and you will never see me again! You are a reckless kid and will die any day now! Ask Jurota to find you another bodyguard".

Euden stuttered. "Elisanne. I ... I cannot promise. I cannot let a friend die in front of me".

Elisanne looked at him and yelled again. She could not stop herself from pointing her finger at him. "You think you saved anyone that night? You think you made my job, or Jurota's job any easier? I gave you an order to stay down! Why should I remain at your side if you won't listen to me?".

Euden was devastated. This was not how he expected this to go. 

"I should have punched you and let you unconscious that night. Stupid me". Elisanne stood up 

Euden stood up too.

"It's over, Euden. I will go away, and maybe that way you will learn that you will still lose your friends if you are reckless. Maybe you will obey your next bodyguard and I will not have to receive the news that Dyrenell killed you".

She walked to the door. "Good luck, Euden".

Euden yelled. "Elisanne! Stop! I promise you I will obey your orders to stay out of a fight!".

Elisanne hesitated. Euden walked next to her and put himself between her and the door.

Elisanne saw this and started talked again. "Why should I believe you. You will just do it again and ask forgiveness. No. Your word is not good enough". She reached for the handle to open the door. Euden stopped her. Elisanne looked at him, with fury in her eyes. 

"Give me a minute to think of a way".

Elisanne crossed her arms. "I will go away. I swear it".

"I believe you, give me time to think".

Euden racked his brain. Maybe magic? Maybe Althemia or Xuan Zang had some magic device that could put Euden under a spell and make her obey Elisanne's orders?

Then he thought of his classes of common law back at the noble academy. That's it! A contract.

"Elly, we can sign a contract".

"I don't want a lawyer searching for loopholes for you to escape from it".

Euden replied. "It will be a simple thing. I can write it right now. No lawyers. Watch me write it, and if you don't like it, you can go".

Elisanne said "Ok".

Euden went to his desk and grabbed ink and a quill. Then took a piece of paper, took a second to think, and starting writing.

After a minute of stopping to think and writing again, he stood up and went to Elisanne.

"This should do it". said Euden, handing the piece of paper to Elisanne.

Elisanne read the paper. It said.

I, Euden, Prince of New Alberia, promise to always obey Elisanne immediately in any order which she prefaces with "Elly says".

I, Elisanne, Paladyn and bodyguard to Euden, promise to leave Euden forever if Euden disobeys any of her orders prefaced with "Elly says".

There was a space under each line for them to sign.

Elisanne thought about it.

"This is smart. I do not trust your word on this, but I do trust my own word. You will obey out of fear of me leaving you. Let me think about it".

Elisanne thought some more. She realized it needed an amendment.

"Euden this is good work. But it needs an exception, that in the battlefield, or in a situation of life or death, I do not need to preface the order. We may not have the time, or I may forget in the rush".

Euden considered this, and went back to the desk, amending the contract. Then he made a second copy. They both firmed both copies, and Elisanne folded hers, and put it on a pocket. "I will look for a good place for it". She said. 

Euden instead went to a cabinet and archived it.

Euden extended his hand and said "Do you want to shook on it?".

Elisanne looked at his hand, but did not grab it. "No, I want to test you. Now, Elly says, wait here".

Elisanne went to the door, opened it and saw Jurota outside. She walked to him and whispered. "Jurota, I need a big favor. I saved your life, remember? You owe me".

Jurota raised a brow. "You saved Euden's life. And in that you were meeting your duty, and my life was saved too, casually. I owe you nothing. But we are friends, I like to think".

Elisanne said "It's a big favor. You won't think of me as a friend afterwards, though. I need you to let Euden stab you in the arm. After that, you can run to the infirmary. It won't be a big wound".

Jurota looked at her. Elisanne looked serious. Jurota sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why, Elly?".

"Because Euden promised he'd never disobey me when I order him to stand back in danger".

Jurota shook his head and said "Ok, I agree it's necessary. Let's do this" and walked in.

Jurota entered the room and saw Euden. "Please come here and stand next to Euden". Jurota obeyed.

She touched something on her belt and took out a knife. She put it on Euden's hand. "Now, Elly says, stab Jurota in the arm with this knife".

Euden was confused, but after a second of hesitation, he stabbed Jurota in the arm closer to him. Jurota yelled.

"That'd be it, Jurota. Please see Cleo in the next room to heal your wound. Sorry".

Jurota went out of the room cursing.

Euden went to clean himself of the blood. Elisanne grabbed the knife from the floor, cleaned it, and put it back in the hiding fold in her belt.

"I warn you I will be testing you regularly. Good bye, Euden, I'll go back to my room". 

Euden yelled from where he was cleaning himself. "Elisanne, no! Every time you come to my room something bad happens. I want you to have a good memory of this place".

Elisanne sighed and walked back to the sofa, then sat on it.

Euden came back, grabbed another glass, filled it with wine, and gave it to Elisanne. Elisanne thanked him and they toasted "To a long and successful contract" said Elisanne. 

Euden replied "to a long life together!".

They drank their wine.

Elisanne said "I am sorry I yelled and threw your glass, and made you stab Jurota, Euden. I hope you see it's for a good reason".

Euden replied "No, you are right. I am dumb and we need to trust each other more". He extended his right hand and took Elisanne's left hand in his. He started caressing her hand with his fingers.

Elisanne looked at him and said "you have been very affectionate lately".

Euden retired his hand. "Sorry". 

Elisanne said "No, no, it's ok. You've been always a very warm person". Euden noticed that Elisanne did not put her hand back. 

Elisanne remained in silence for a moment. Then she spoke. "I am thinking of quitting the position of Grand Paladyn".

Euden looked at her, confused. "What? Why?".

"The other night you told me that people of high station enough sometimes could marry into royalty. I looked it up, and saw that the Grand Paladyn has married into royalty a number of times, even recently. I suspect the church heads heard some rumor about us two and decided to put me into a position where marriage would be acceptable. So the church may have wanted to have one of their members as queen. I feel used and I dislike it. I am quitting".

Euden said. "Well, you cannot know if that's the reason?".

Elisanne replied. "I am sure that, if it wasn't the main reason, it may have been a factor. It probably was. I may even quit the church altogether".

"Elisanne. Whatever you decide, I want you always at my side. I don't care about the Grand Paladyn. I care about you. Besides, I am abolishing the walls between nobility and peasantry in New Alberia. Nobody will tell anyone who they can marry anymore".

Elisanne wiped some tears from her eyes. "Thanks, Euden. I really appreciate it". She shook her head. "Let's do something fun instead of speaking of ill things. Hey, want to play some cards? It's been a while since we played something".

Euden stood up, opened some cabinet, took a deck of cards and came back. They sat on the floor around the coffee table and Euden started shuffling the cards. "Any preference?".

Elisanne said. "I'd play poker with you, but I'd probably rob you blind. Besides, I don't want to go fetch my coin purse...Let's just play some fifteen".

Euden dealt the cards and they played some. Elisanne spoke while they played. "So, what are you doing about Rovetelle's security in the end?".

Euden sighed. "There's a lot of work to do. Immediately? Yaten is building some makeshift watchtowers for now. We are also clearing some of the forest around it, and will set up some more watchtowers and flag semaphores longer away, so we can see attacking armies with more than one day of warning".

Elisanne said. "And longer term?". 

Euden replied. "We are still discussing it. The mayor wants a wall, but our main problem was not a lack of physical security. Jurota wants to create a police force, and to institute more serious vigilance in Rovetelle. Also we need to leave some dedicated healers in the city. We absorb all the good ones. Maybe we haven't been serious enough about this New Alberia thing, and we need to establish a more complete state. Don't know if we want to devote energy to that. Also he wants to put a small barrier outside the citadel so no carriage can enter, even in an emergency".

As Euden stopped speaking, Elisanne won the first hand. She said "ok, take off your jacket". 

Euden lifted his brows. "Are we playing that?".

Elisanne laughed. "Nah, it's a joke".

Euden said "it's ok, I've played for clothes before, with noble girls back in the Alberian academy". He took off his jacket.

Elisanne looked at him very seriously. Euden broke up in laughter. "Now I am the one joking! I've never done this".

Euden did not put his jacket back on, and threw it away explaining. "Before you came, I turned on the heating on the room. The days have been colder lately".

Elisanne replied. "You and your Alberian princesses will never stop being a source of annoyance to me. Ok, for real, now we play for truths. How many girls have you kissed?".

Euden was taken aback. "Do you really want to know that?".

Elisanne said "I want to see you squirm when you tell me".

"Ok, you asked for it. There's princess Constance, my first kiss, she was from another kingdom, then some other noble girl whose name I don't remember".

Elisanne laughed "wow, you don't remember?".

Euden defended himself. "It was in a silly party. She stole a kiss from me and ran away. She never spoke to me again. Then there was the duchess heir Therese. That time I stole a kiss and then she shot me down. Mym and Philia have also stolen kisses from me, I felt nothing from them but I had to admonish them so they wouldn't do it again. And then you, so six".

Elisanne lifted her brows. "You've kissed Mym and Philia? I asked for a number, Euden, not names".

Euden quickly replied. "I felt nothing during those kisses. You know how they are. Zero respect for personal boundaries! It took me a while to convince them to not do it again".

Elisanne said "It's ok, Euden, you don't owe me explanations". It was Elisanne's turn to deal, and she did so.

It did not escape Elisanne that she didn't receive any admonition to not repeat her stunt. Euden said he felt nothing from Mym and Philia. Did he feel something from her kiss. Elisanne was afraid to ask.

She was so distracted she took up a set with fourteen points instead of fifteen. They both noticed the mistake and Elisanne had to forfeit the hand.

Euden fell back on the floor "Oh what should I ask! You tried to make me squirm, so I should be evil with my question".

Elisanne said. "Please be good with your poor subject". 

Euden rose up. "No can do, sorry. My question is: what's the deal with you and Alex. I've heard rumors that she was your lover in the past?".

Elisanne raised her voice. "What kind of rumors have you been hearing? This is way inappropriate". She waged her finger at Euden.

Euden was smiling. "Well I know you are not a couple, but has there been something in the past?".

Elisanne said "Alex is my good friend, who tried to assassinate me, yes, and who, one time many years ago, confessed to me. She tried to steal a kiss from me but I managed to dodge. Since then I know she has had a couple of girlfriends so I think she is over me".

Euden said "I am sorry. Maybe that was inappropriate".

Elisanne replied. "What about you. Kissed any guys? There were rumors about you and Naveed at one point".

Euden said. "They were not ... completely off base. Naveed kissed me once. I didn't feel anything and he stopped trying it. I kissed a prince once back in Alberia, experimenting, but I will keep his name to me. Hey, you didn't win a hand!".

Elisanne just laughed "Well, you shouldn't have answered then".

They played another hand. Elisanne won again. She downed a little wine and said: "Ok, now we go for broke. Are you a virgin, Euden? Ever had sex with anyone? Girl or boy? penetration or otherwise?".

Euden was surprised. "Wow, someone is being inappropriate back. But no. I've never had anyone".

Elisanne insisted. "Nobody ever touched your genitalia? Or you touched anyone else's?".

Euden shook his head. "Nope. Kissing is the farthest I've done".

Elisanne handed the cards to Euden. Euden started shuffling. Then Elisanne stood up and went and poured herself another glass of wine. Euden stood up too and Elisanne poured him another glass.

Elisanne said "From time to time, Cleo and Alex and me do this same thing. Stay up all night, drink a little, play games, talk. You should come the next time. Maybe bring Notte".

Euden asked. "Ask extremely personal questions from each other too?"

Elisanne laughed "No, not that personal".

Euden replied. "Well, send for me the next time". Elisanne just nodded back.

Elisanne asked. "Hey where's Notte, anyway?".

"When I said I was gonna invite you for a drink she said she was spending the night with Cleo".

Elisanne sighed. "She knows I confessed to you and kissed you, right?". Elisanne drank her whole glass of wine at once.

Euden said "she must know". Euden took a sip.

Elisanne laughed. "She and Cleo must be inventing the worst rumors about us right now".

Euden asked. "Does Cleo know?" Elisanne nodded.

Euden said "maybe they went to Alex's room and are playing cards like us".

Elisanne replied. "Want to see if they are up and join them?".

Euden said nothing, then walked to a cabinet. He opened it and searched for something. He fiddled with it and came back. He was holding a music box, which he put on a table. He opened the box, and a slow melody started to chime, very delicately. She had heard that song before, sung by some musicians at a festival. It was about the Cinderella story. It was a beautiful song, and the chimes were exquisite, although much slower than the real song.

Euden said "I received this box from a noble recently. Want to dance?". Euden extended his left hand.

Elisanne was surprised to see herself take his hand. Then she hesitated. "Let me take off my boots. They are terrible for dancing".

She took off her boots quickly and stepped back in front of Euden. Then she toughtt better and took off her gauntlets too. She stood back up. They were almost the same height now. Euden said "should I take off my shoes?".

Elisanne just shook his head and took his left hand in her right, and put his right hand on her waist, then put her left hand on her right arm. They started dancing like it was a slow waltz.

Elisanne was lost in Euden's eyes for a while. Then she snapped out of it and leaned her head on his right shoulder.

"I should really go, Euden. They must be inventing all kinds of rumors by now".

Euden spoke softly. "The main rumor will be that I stabbed Jurota in the arm. That will cover everything up".

Elisanne laughed. "I am a horrible person".

Euden said. "You are only horrible in the inside, where it matters".

Elisanne laughed. But Euden then grabbed her waist and pushed her towards him. Her heart started racing. She felt Euden's head lean over her shoulder.

They stood like that for a long time. Elisanne noticed that she had never been admonished about not kissing Euden again, and how Euden had specified that he had felt nothing when kissing Mym, Philia or Naveed, but never said anything about her kiss. If anything, Euden had said he would treasure that memory forever.

Elisanne's was close enough to Euden to feel that his heartbeat was also racing.

The music box was slowing down. Soon it would stop, and Euden would release her to turn its key again, and then Elisanne would grab her boots and run away. It would be for the best.

Instead she lifted her head. Euden reacted and did the same. They were really close, and Elisanne could feel Euden's breath. She leaned her head forward and touched his forehead with his. Elisanne closed her eyes. She whispered.

"You said you didn't feel anything when Mym and Philia kissed you. Or Naveed".

Euden replied, but he did not whisper. "Mym and Philia did it a week or so after meeting me. They are just immature girls infatuated with the idea of a prince. Naveed is much more mature, and his love is real, I just did not correspond it".

Elisanne had had two horrible nights recently in Euden's room. She was preparing herself to ruin another one. 

She lifted her forehead and looked at Euden's eyes for a moment. She then leaned towards him and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. It lasted just a second. She said "You forbid Mym and Philia from kissing you again. You didn't forbid me".

Euden looked at her for a moment. "They were annoying about it. I thought they were going to keep kissing me".

They stood in silence for a moment. The music stopped, but neither moved. They stood in their dancing pose.

Euden finally said "Besides, you seem a more mature person".

Elisanne thought about it, then replied. "I am truly not".

Then, slowly, she let go of his left hand, and brought her now free right hand to his neck. She left it there for a second. Euden could have stopped her. She pushed him towards her and kissed him. She felt Euden's left arm come to her shoulder and hold her towards him. This time she dared to open her mouth. She pushed her tongue into his mouth and met Euden's tongue. The sensation shocked Elisanne, but soon she was moving her tongue to intertwine with Euden's. They kissed for a while.

Elisanne finally let go. She had to ask.

"What happened Euden? You clearly enjoyed that. Did you lie to me the other night?".

Euden replied immediately. "No, Elly, never! I'd never lie to you. But...I think that when you kissed me, something inside me healed. I spent the rest of that week looking at women with the same eyes I had back in the old Alberian academy. Noticing Aoi's lips, Malora's bosom, Cleo's eyes. And noticing you, above all. I looked at you every time we met in the dining room, but I avoided your sight whenever you looked at me, so you wouldn't see me looking at you with my mouth open".

Euden paused a moment and continued. "I didn't know what had happened to me. So I didn't go running to you cause I was scared. Then the attack happened, and I saw you stand up and fight when you had no strength left, and even then, you fought with grace and finesse. It was mesmerizing. You are incredible. Then, you spent the next two days in a coma...I thought you were going to die. I thought I was gonna lose you. But you revived. I escaped away to Rovetelle to put my head in order. If you ask the mayor, he will tell you that I barely spoke with him, I spent most of the week figuring out how I felt. So I finally came back and have been thinking how to tell you that I love you. Elisanne, do you still love me?".

Elisanne just said "Of course, you stupid kid. I told you I would always love you". Euden grabbed Elisanne and kissed her again. They stood for a while kissing until Euden broke free for a moment and took Elisanne to the sofa.

Euden started kissing her again. Elisanne felt a heat in her stomach, that moved her to put her hands all over Euden's body. Her hands caressed him over his shirt. She put one of Euden's hands over her breast. Euden doubted about what to do. Elisanne responded by putting her hand inside his shirt and caressing his nipples. Euden reacted by groping her breast, then he put his other hand on her ass and groped it too. They kissed like that for a while. 

Elisanne stopped. She sat back a little

"What's wrong Elly, are we going too fast?" asked Euden. "We can stop now".

Elisanne's head came close to Euden. She looked at Euden's eyes and softly said "Take me".

Euden looked confused. Elisanne closed the distance even more and begged him in a whisper. "Please take me, your Highness".

\-----

Euden wondered for a moment what was in those romance novels of Elisanne. He had read a couple of those novels at some point in Alberia, and they seemed pretty chaste. Perhaps Elisanne had some books with sex scenes in them that were informing the Paladyn on expected behavior?

Euden understood the theory of sex, both reproductive and recreational. His personal tutors had been quite explicit on this. But he didn't know how to go around to actually ask for someone to have sex with him. Zethia had told him that her tutors had explained to her how to initiate sex, but when he asked her for details, Zethia didn't want to share what had been taught to her.

Euden decided to keep doing what he had been doing, maybe going a little further. He started kissing Elisanne's exposed shoulders, and her neck. He kept thinking. What was the deal with Elisanne calling him 'your Highness' suddenly? She normally called him that in public, and in formal situations, but, most of the time they were alone, she called him just 'Euden'. Well she had said 'your Highness' a couple of times tonight. But when she was furious with him, when she bared her emotions, she called him Euden. So now she felt more distant from him?

It made no sense.

Elisanne moaned every time Euden kissed her neck, so he became more aggressive about it. He kept thinking. 'Take me' was her way of asking for sex, right? And, sex normally would happen in the couple's bed? That was pretty clear, regardless of the appelative she used with him.

He stopped kissing Elisanne and moved out from under her. Elisanne looked at him move. Euden extended his right hand. Elisanne took it. He pushed her towards him, then walked all the way to the bed. Maybe if she called him in a formal way it was because she wanted him to take charge? So far she had initiated the kisses. Maybe some initiative was expected of him.

Euden pulled back the sheets on his bed. Elisanne entered the bed, and pulled the sheet over herself. She didn't have boots, but was still clothed. Sex was something that you did naked, right? He knew the man could just stick his penis out through his pants, but the woman would need to bare her crotch ... and Elisanne was wearing pants. If she had a skirt, maybe it'd be possible. What was Elisanne thinking? 

Euden thought back to his lessons. One of his tutors said that some women could be shy and not want to be seen naked, even by their lovers. Was this the case? 

Euden said "Stay there" and walked to the wall. He put off the candles, and then moved a switch that turned off the magical light on his chandelier. The moon outside shone a little light on him through the window, but it wouldn't reach the bed, not directly at least. He could close the curtains, but he did want to see Elisanne naked. He expected his eyes to get used to the moonlight in a short while.

Before walking back to his bed, he took off the shirt while illuminated by the moon. He heard a gasp coming from the bed. He walked towards it, managed to grab the sheets, and entered the bed next to Elisanne. He left the sheets off.

Elisanne put her hands around his neck and kissed him, but very chastely as compared to before. Had he gone back to square one? He moved his hands to her body. She had not taken off her clothes in the time he walked around the room. He moved back to her neck, and Elisanne started moaning again. She really enjoyed that. Euden decided to keep pushing the issue, and started kissing her breasts, over the clothes. He bit her breasts softly over the fabric. Elisanne moaned.

Euden realized he had no idea how Elisanne's regular paladyn clothes worked at all. Was it all a single piece? Was the top separated from the pants? Was there a button hidden behind the neck? Was there a button hidden under the belts she had? Did she just pull it over his head? If he wanted her clothes to go, Elisanne would have to do the job.

"Elly, sweetheart, could you take off your top, please?" he asked.

Elisanne sighed, sounding disappointed. "I guess?". She moved her hands around, and did...something? But the top started coming off. It was separate from the pants. It only looked that way due to the black side support it had. Euden could see the silhouette of Elisanne. She still had a brassier that covered her breasts, but at least she was showing a lot more skin than before. But then Elisanne covered her breasts with her hands, and covered herself with the bedsheets.

Euden was annoyed by this and said in an annoyed voice. "Elisanne! I wanted to see you!".

Elisanne pulled back the sheets, saying "you are too wicked with your poor servant, your Highness". Even in the reflected moonlight, he saw she was smiling. What the hell? When he was nice, she sounded disappointed, but when he was forceful, she enjoyed it? Was that why was calling him "your Highness"? Apparently she expected him to take complete charge of the situation.

He tested his theory. In the more stern voice he could muster at the moment he said. "Elisanne! take off your brassiere!".

She answered in a soft voice. "As you wish, your Highness". Then immediately sat up, undid some button or something in the front of the brassiere, and took it off. She covered herself with the sheets again before Euden could see much. 

Euden kept his furious persona going. He pulled back the sheets, then immediately dived into Elisanne's chest. She covered herself with her hands, but he took them and pulled them apart. He knew that Elisanne was at least as strong as him, if not stronger, but she put no resistance. She wanted this. He went and kissed her breasts. Elisanne moaned. Euden's hands and lips searched for her nipples. He found the nipples on her right breast. He kissed it and bit it, to more and strongersmoans from Elisanne.

Elisanne started talking. "Yes, your Highness! Take me. Take your humble servant!".

Euden kept kissing and biting her softly, but thinking. If she wanted to be taken...did she expect the taker to be reluctant or to be desperate? Given that she had acted reluctant, he decided to act desperate.

Euden started saying "Yes, I love your breasts. They are so beautiful, and they are mine now". He bit her nipples and Elisanne yelled "Yes" while she pushed his head on her breasts. Then suddenly she yelled "Ouch!" and hit him in the head. She yelled "Euden! don't bite me so hard!".

Euden realized he had gone so far that Elisanne had called him Euden. He understood now what was expected of him. 

\-----

Elisanne put Euden's head on her other breast. Euden mumbled "I am sorry".

Elisanne answered softly. "Your highness does not need to apologize, he just needs to be more careful with his poor servant".

Euden left her breasts and started to explore Elisanne's stomach. This didn't excite Elisanne as much as when Euden paid attention to her breasts, but soon Euden arrived where her clothes began again. 

Euden said firmly. "Elisanne! undo these damned belts!". Elisanne moved her fingers to undo them. She noticed that Euden was moving too but could not see anything. 

Then Euden sat up and put his fingers under her clothes and started pulling them. She noticed that Euden was completely naked and saw his penis glisten in the dark. Euden was lowering her clothes slowly but relentlessly. Elisanne could not resist laughing from the nerves.

"Your Highness! No! Hahahaha No!". But Elisanne lifted her ass to help reduce the friction, and Euden realized it was all a ploy. Euden kept pulling until her clothes barely covered her pubis. Elisanne kept her pubic hair trimmed, and the beginning of it appeared. Euden stopped pulling. He started kissing her exposed skin above the clothes. This sent shivers running through her stomach. She moaned again and said "Yes, your Highness". 

Euden sat up again and started pulling on her clothes. She lifted her ass again, and the pants and her belts came down. She lifter her legs and Euden took them off. Elisanne was now completely naked. Euden dived once more into her pubis and she felt him kissing between her legs. Euden's lips arrived to her labia. This was too much stimulation for Elisanne, who could not stop herself from moaning. She started pushing Euden's head down, away from her genitalia. But Euden took her hands and pushed them to the side. Then went back to licking her labia. Elisanne did not offer resistance, despite knowing she should be able to overpower Euden. This was what she had really wanted, after all, Euden taking her by force. Euden having his way with her.

Even if this act had never appeared in her books, she knew it was possible, but only between women, from one conversation with Alex that had gone too far.

She yelled "Yes, your Highness, take me!". She now offered some token resistance, moving her arms a little, but Euden kept them firmly in place. Euden's tongue split open her labia. Then he released her arms, and used his hands to open her vagina more comfortably. She felt his tongue lick her vaginal entrance, which was a weird sensation. But then his tongue arrived to her clitoris. She felt him press his tongue against her clitoris and his whole head moved with his tongue. The feeling was too much for her. She tensed up and felt an orgasm. Her whole body shook, she closed her eyes, and she moaned as loudly as she had moaned all night. 

The orgasm passed, but she felt Euden's tongue start moving again after a few seconds. She said "Your Highness, I beg you to not stop what you are doing". Euden didn't answer and just kept pressing his tongue against her clitoris. She kept saying "Yes, like that, yes, like that" over and over again. She had a second orgasm, although this time she managed to not yell as loudly. Euden stopped for a moment and then started a few moments later moving again. She said "yes, Euden, yes, yes, Euden". until her third orgasm. Then Euden stopped moving altogether and rose up to her height in the bed.

Euden said "my tongue is tired, I am sorry. I don't have many muscles there". 

Elisanne kissed him, and felt her own humidity on his mouth. She was a little shocked but did not complain. He took cleaned his face with the bed sheets and went back to kissing her.

Elisanne suspected something, though. "How did you know how to do that, Euden? You told me you were a virgin!".

Euden defended himself "I had a personal tutor that explained me these things. It seems to be common among the nobility, as I asked other noble kids. But his explanations didn't make much sense until today. When I went down there everything made sense to me suddenly".

Elisanne was satisfied by the admittedly weird answer. She put her hands around his neck and started kissing him softly. Elisanne then felt his penis against her stomach. It was rock hard and demanded attention. 

Elisanne touched her forehead with Euden's forehead, closed her eyes and said "Your Highness, it's time you enter me, and make me completely yours". She separated her head from Euden's, opened her eyes, locked them with Euden's, her mouth pouted and said "please?".

Euden didn't lose any time. He accommodated himself above Elisanne. Elisanne used her hands to open her vagina, and Euden used one hand to guide his penis to it, while balancing himself over Elisanne with the other. 

Elisanne felt Euden's penis head press against her opening. It felt too big. Elisanne had at best put a finger there when experimenting with herself. She said "Your Highness, please go slowly". Euden pushed a little, and the head managed to enter. He paused for a moment. They looked at each other. Elisanne nodded. Euden pushed a little more and started entering her. Eventually Elisanne felt herself filled and Euden completely inside. Euden locked eyes with her and told her "I am inside you. You are mine now". Elisanne kissed him, while pushing her pelvis against his to get him even further inside. Without breaking the kiss, Euden pulled back, and then pulled back in, slowly. Elisanne moaned. 

She said "'I've needed you inside me for almost two years". 

If Euden noticed that she didn't say "Your Highness", he didn't show it. He started pumping into her, moving his pelvis so her clitoris was pressed a little by his movements. Elisanne moaned even more. Euden finally released her mouth from the kiss, and grabbed one of her breasts and put the nipple in his mouth. Elisanne moaned. Then Euden went back to the kiss. He kept pumping in and out, faster and faster. Elisanne had an orgasm, during which she yelled "Oh yes, Euden, I love you, I love you!". 

Euden kept pumping. Soon Euden said "Elisanne, I am about to finish". 

Elisanne said "This is one of my less fertile days of the month. Finish inside. It's probably fine. Next time I will be prepared and take the contraceptive potion, but my first time I want to feel you finish inside me". 

Euden stopped moving. Elisanne wrapped her legs around his waist, and put her hands firmly on her butt. She wasn't going to let him go without a fight, a fight that she could certainly win.

"Your Highness, please finish inside your humble servant?" Elisanne begged with her softest voice in a way that contrasted with her show of physical dominance.

But Euden didn't move.

Ok, time to stop the games. Elisanne forced herself into a serious face and said "Elly says finish inside me".

Euden opened his eyes wide, and then started pumping again. Soon he was yelling "Elly! Elly!". He collapsed on top of her. She felt Euden's penis jerk inside her, and then his semen overflow her vagina. Elisanne kissed him. Euden fell to her side. 

Elisanne moved her head over him, and hugged him with one arm, while smiling. "I told you I was going to keep testing our contract".

Euden shook his head. "I need to read those romance novels of you. They've made you crazy".

\-----

Euden and Elisanne made love a few more times that night, until the sun appeared on their window. Euden managed to negotiate not having to finish inside Elisanne the next times, though. 

\-----

Elisanne sneaked out of Euden's room as the sun had already rose. She made her way to her own room without crossing with anyone. She opened the door, saw Alex sleeping. She entered and closed the door softly behind her. She made her way to her bed, but then saw Cleo was sleeping there.

Damn.

She decided to just go to the kitchen and make herself breakfast and think of something then. She turned around and found herself face to face with Notte, who just said in her shrill voice "Look what the cat dragged in! You owe some explanations, young lady!".

That woke up Alex and Cleo. Alex sat up and said "Elly, I assume that congratulations are in order?". 

Elisanne just said "Euden and I are together now".

The three girls yelled and jumped to hug Elisanne. 

Cleo said "Ok, you need to tell us everything!".

Elisanne's face went red and she said "I can give you a summary at best".

Cleo replied "You need to explain why I had to heal Jurota in the middle of the night, at least".

Elisanne just blushed more.

\-----

Two weeks later, Elisanne entered Euden's room. She put a piece of paper in front of Euden.

"Your Highness, here's the list of people who you have to let down before you announce our engagement tonight at dinner".

"Why do we have to do this?" Euden asked.

Elisanne hit him in the head. "Because it is respectful, these are our friends that fight with us our battles, they deserve to be told that you are engaged with me privately. Some of them still hold hopes you will marry them".

"Ouch, ok, ok".

Elisanne kissed Euden's head. Euden took the paper and started reading it. 

Mym, Philia? obviously.

Malora? still?

Naveed? Ok, fair.

Estelle? Ok, he could see where he had ignored her.

Ezelith? Really?

Althemia??!?!

Euden looked at Elisanne. "Sweetheart, you are pulling my leg here. This is way too many people".

Elisanne smiled. "Nope, sorry. We already scheduled each of them to come here to see you during the day". 

Elisanne went back to her room. Euden wrote next to each name what he was going to say later.

Mym cried a lot, then yelled a lot, tried to set Euden's bed on fire, then calmed down and walked away. Philia just cried a lot, then also calmed down and walked away. 

Malora didn't even bat an eye. She said she was over Euden already and wished him luck.

Naveed hugged Euden and told him "Thanks for telling me". This made Euden feel this was worth it.

Estelle tried to hide she was crying, then kissed him on the cheek and wished him luck.

Ezelith laughed at him, then ran out. Euden couldn't tell if she was crying.

Althemia just said "Oh, good for you" then walked away. Euden still wasn't sure she belonged in the list.

\-----

Elisanne went back to her room. Alex was inside. 

Alex said with her monotone rhythm. "And now that you gave the list to Euden, here's the list of people you have to let down before you announce your engagement tonight at dinner". Alex extended her a paper.

Elisanne said "Haha, too funny".

Alex replied. "The list is short but real".

Elisanne looked at the list. It only listed Julietta, Vanessa and Zace. It made no sense to her.

Alex said "they are coming in later. Be prepared".

Julietta said she was happy for Elisanne, then cried a lot and Elisanne spent a lot of time consoling her.

Vanessa just laughed. She said "You are marrying that weakling prince? Bah, I could beat him up and you'd be free again!". Elisanne thanked her but declined.

Zace just asked if he could have her bones if she died. She declined too.

Afterwards Elisanne made her way to the kitchen. She found Cleo alone. She approached her. "Cleo, a word?".

Cleo just said "Hey Elly, what's do you have in your mind".

Elisanne said "It's just ... I am sorry if you love Euden too. I've noticed the way you look at him, and you had the idea of doing a Valentine's gift for him with me. I feel bad breaking your heart".

Cleo smiled. "Elly, you don't need to worry. I do love Euden but...it's because I still love Alberius, and Euden is his spitting image. Well, the kid is a little crazier than Alberius, but maybe he still has time to mature more. It's ok, Elly, don't worry your head over this. Alberius didn't love me, Euden does not love me. I am ok". 

Cleo wiped a tear. "I am ok. Elly". Elisanne grabbed her in a hug and kissed her in the forehead. "Thanks for everything, Cleo".

They stood like that for a second, then Cleo pulled back, coughed and said "Do you have the list that Alex gave you? And Euden's list?".

"No, but I can repeat them from memory". Elisanne repeated both lists.

Cleo said "Ok, I think I still have time to play matchmaker once more. I have to run some errands. Look for Joe and Vice and tell them to take charge of the kitchen, they should be outside the castle, training".

They went their separate ways.

\-----

That night, almost everyone was in the dinner hall. Elisanne and Euden had taken one of the tables next to a wall, so when Cleo started sounding a bell, everyone could see them. 

Cleo yelled. "Attention everyone, we have some announcements to make".

The room fell silent and everyone looked at them. Elisanne stood up and started talking.

"First of all, I've already sent the papers to the Ilian Church, but it's not official yet. But I am stepping down from the office of Grand Paladyn".

She could see a lot of commotion in a table that had most of the church members. She saw Alex there too, sitting next to Julietta. 

Euden stood up. "Second of all, as you know, New Alberia inherited most of the laws of Alberia. But tonight, I am abolishing the old law prohibiting marriage between nobility and peasantry". Euden inclined over the table, signed a paper and showed it up to the hall.

There was a lot of commotion in the room.

Euden paused for a moment and then continued. "And with that, I am announcing my engagement to Elisanne, my personal bodyguard. The marriage won't be held until the war with Dyrenell is settled".

There was a huge ovation at that moment. Elisanne said thanks to all that came to congratulate them. 

Elisanne noticed that a lot of people didn't come to congratulate them. Specifically the people from the two lists, but also a bunch of their friends. She looked around and saw why.

Naveed came to congratulate them after a while. He had clearly been crying. Xander was consoling Mym and trying to get her not to burn down the hall. Julietta was crying again but this time on Alex's shoulders. Alex just winked at her when their eyes crossed. Estelle and Hope were talking very animately, and both were blushing a lot. Vanessa and Yashiyo were pushing each other and soon they went out the hall to fight a duel. She saw Ranzal consoling Ezelith too. She saw Althemia and Zace alone on their tables, just eating their food. She assumed they were too weird for Cleo to have a good read on them. Philia was alone eating in her table, but eventually came to congratulate them both.

Elisanne and Euden exchanged rings. On the interior, Elisanne's band was inscribed with the text "We will be together forever", while Euden's was inscribed with "Elly says love me forever". Elisanne and Euden kissed in front of their friends and, for a moment, the future looked a little brighter.


End file.
